The Great Chat Noir (The Great Chatsby)
by TraditionalTwist
Summary: Chat Noir had lingered. And unlike Ladybug he had stayed in the public view of Paris for all these years. Ladybug had vanished with the wind. No one had seen her since Hawkmoths arrest. Why did she have to leave? Where was she now? Would the world ever know her civilian form? This is what Alya had been hired to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: I Love Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noir, and I also Love the Great Gatsby. So I have combined them. I tried to keep the spirit of the show and character's, but mix them into a modern Great Gatsby tale. This is my first fanfic ever! I would love advice, comments, notes... all that jazz. and I hope you enjoy this first chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm going to try and go for a 10 chapter thing... but I also now understand that this thing has a mind of it's own and I am jut along for the ride. Thank you and enjoy! Also you may see this story on my Archiveofourown account under the name: Mymindisfloodedwithideas.

Chapter 1

Alya Ceaire sat on the train staring at her phone deep in thought. Her long brown hair swinging with the rails across you red plaid shirt. She was remembering the advice her mother had given her before going off to University.

"Whenever you feel like judging someone," Alya's mother had told her, "remember that not everyone has been lucky enough to have had the experiences you have had."

This advice carried her through a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Master's degree in International Media in under four years. Tenacity and passion was what drove her to continue studies all year round at the University of Westminster in London. She did her best to keep in touch with her family and friends, but earning her degree was her greatest goal.

The experience of being the youngest (and most amateur) reporter in Paris had provided Ayla with the unique ability to follow and blog about the two Parisian super heroes'; Ladybug and ChatNoir. Ayla's "Ladyblog" had become filled with a plethora of information regarding the two masked saviors. Starting at the age of 15, the young reported was able to capture live footage of fights with akumas. She had managed interviews with each hero, getting to know the duo by names. She wrote articles and provided news feed to some of the top News station in France. However, her greatest experience was being there and reporting on final battle with Hawkmoth.

The battle had lasted for hours. Chat Noir had used his cataclysm power 3 times. Ladybug had called 2 lucky charms, but it was the third charm that brought the villain down. Ayla had stayed and filmed from the top of the roof. She had been yelled to leave by both Ladybug and Chat Noir, but she did not listen. She was the only reporter to get a clear shot of the man known as Hawkmoth. Gabriel Agreste had been beaten. A purple brooch torn from his chest released his alter ego. She had uploaded his face to her blog, and was the reporter to show the public the unmasked villain. She showed the man being arrested and driven off by police as Ladybug and Chat Noir stood in awe at the end of their four year battle to keep Paris safe.

As far as the rest of the world knew, that was all Ayla had seen. This footage was used in by all News stations in Paris. Ayla Ceaire was accredited with her findings. This provide Ayla with the experience to enter an advanced Journalism program and complete. What the world didn't know is what Ladybug and Cat Noir had said to each other after the police drove off with hawkmoth.

The simple moment where the heroes had embraced each other in a hug. Chat Noir kissed Ladybugs Forehead. He was shaking. Tears could be seen coming from both of them. Their silhouettes remained connected for a while longer. Ladybug had then broken away. Tossed her yoyo out to nearby light post, and left Chat Noir standing in the street. Watching the red bug speed off into the distance before he too decided to leave.

Chat Noir had lingered. And unlike Ladybug he had stayed in the public view of Paris for all these years. Ladybug had vanished with the wind. No one had seen her since Hawkmoths arrest. Why did she have to leave? Where was she now? Would the world ever know her civilian form? This is what Ayla had been hired to find out. She was instructed to help find ladybug, and if she did so she would be greatly rewarded with what eve information she wanted from her client, Chat Noir. Fate had brought her back to reopen the Ladyblog, and she was determined to get an interview about those final moments between the two heroes, and learn what had become of them.

_oOo_

Alya called a Taxi to pick her up from the train station. If it were not for the size of her luggage Ayla would have preferred to walk or even ride her bike. She had never been one for cars, especially those driven by a stranger. Alas, the taxi had arrived and the stranger in the front seat had placed all her bags in the car's trunk as Ayla typed in the address of her dearest friend, Marinette Dupain-Chang, into her GPS to guide the mad to her first destination.

Marinette was waiting outside the apartment building when Ayla arrived. "I'm so glad you came!" Both girls embraced each other.

"Girl, you know I couldn't say know to this opportunity," Ayla laughed.

"You know you can stay with us. I'm sure Nathaniel wouldn't mind to…"

Ayla cut Marinette short. "I'm fine. Remember, my client has paid for me to stay in an apartment for the entire time I'm out here."

"That reminds me," Marineet opened the complex gate and lead Ayla to the apartment. "You will need to tell us who this client of yours is. I don't even know what you are doing."

"Us, huh…" Ayla elbowed her friend. "I take it you and Nathaniel are getting quite used to living together?"

"Oh- O-o-our studio is very popular. I get to make whatever avant-garde look I find that works and Nathaniel takes inspiration from that." The stutter didn't pass Ayla.

"You know work is not what I meant. Are you two together?"

"Umm, sort of."

"You are holding out on me."

A look of panic crossed over Marinette's face. "No! Not at all. I um, just am not sure how to describe it. Did I tell you invited Nino? We can talk later. Let's go inside."

"You invited who?!" Ayla blushed as the door opened and Ayla was greeted by Nathaniel and Nino.

"Welcome back to Paris!" Nathaniel waved.

"Hey Ayla, Long time no see." Nino smiled.

"Hey, Nathaniel. Hey, Nino! I didn't expect to come over for a party."

"We just wanted you to feel welcomed," Marinette said walking over to stand in-between Nathaniel and Nino. Ayla couldn't help but notice the slightly uncomfortable none scrunch Marinette made as Nathaniel placed his arm around her shoulder. Ayla glanced over at Nino who also seemed to have noticed Marinette's reactions.

Nino put a hand behind his head. "I just finished the latest tour with the band and got a a call to DJ for a party this week. I called Marinette and told her I was going to be around. She told me you were coming by and I didn't want to miss an opportunity to catch up."

The reporter blushed. "We definitely should make more time to do so." The two laughed awkwardly; Ayla staring at the star DJ in the door way. Feeling the awkward tension, Nathaniel broke the silence.

"Come on in, Ayla! Marinette and I must show you what we are working on for our studio!" Nathaniel waved her in and walked into the apartment. Ayla looked around. It was a decent sized apartment. Dining room and living room connecting to the Kitchenette. To the left there was a narrow hallway that lead to full bathroom, a few closets, two bedrooms, and an office. Nathaniel moved down the hall. "Most of it is in the office."

The three followed Nathaniel down the hall. Marinette stooped at the first door across from the bathroom. "You guys go ahead. I have to get something from my room." Marinette barely cracked the door and slid into her room.

"You can leave the door open!" Ayla called out at her. "No one cares how much fabric you have tossed around on the ground."

"She just doesn't want anyone to see what she is working on," Nathaniel interjected. "Even though everything she makes is wonderful, she won't even show me until she says it's good enough."

"Since when did Marinette get so shy over the cloths she makes? What happened the BFF who would carry her sketch book everywhere in case she had inspiration?"

"Since we moved in together and opened the studio. She became a bit more reserved." Nathaniel was very nonchalant about the girl's strange behavior. "It's one thing to show your friends and family your work, but when you start selling it and

putting it on display it becomes a completely new world. My parents helped me start selling my art in high school, so I am used to this sort of stress that comes with being a successful artist. Not that I don't think Marinette isn't a successful artist. She is smart, pretty, talented, and perfect. She's just reacting to the stress of the art world in her own way."

"I could see that," Nino chimed in. "It must be hard to make someone else's opinion your profession. "

"Exactly, Nino. You have to be really proud of whatever you make to be willing to let the whole world tell you all their opinions." Nathaniel turned to look at Ayla. "You are a reported. I'm sure you understand that not everyone will agree with your opinions when you write or blog about them."

Ayla rolled her eyes as Nathaniel turned away and grabbed the handle to the door that was in front of their group. Ayla and Nino's eyes grew large as they door was pushed open. "Dude." The Dj exclaimed. Sketches, painted canvas, and photos lined the walls eac grouped together to fit a theme. In the center of the room, rolling clothing racks filled with different colored and styled dresses and outfits hung neatly.

Nathaniel walked into the room with his arms up. "This is what we have already produced and shown to in our studio. We both decide on a theme and then create our works together. Our different mediums blend well and have made us a rather big success. I make two or three of each painting so I can sell to those who have an offer and are interested." He pointed to an oil painting of the Eiffle Tower that appeared to be inside the lens of a camera. "This one here is from our 'Tour of France' collection. It was sold for 3,000 euros each. I had to keep one. It's one of my personal favorites."

"Gotta say I'm impressed." Nino held up both his hands. He joined opposite pointer fingers and thumbs together to make a rectangle. He held his fingers up to his face. "Totally looks like I am holding a camera."

"Does Marrinette make multiple dresses than?" Ayla questioned. She stood at the clothing rack admiring her best friends work. Memories flooding into her watching the young designer spend hours stitching and and pinning cloths to perfection.

"I wish," came out of Nathaniel mouth in a haughty tone. "She does custom inf designing for anyone who wants to buy her dresses. If someone makes an offer, she takes them to a fitting room in the studio to take measurements. She even does a fitting with them for each customer and makes the modifications they want. They pay her and change her art. In my opinion she should make her dress and only someone who fits in it should wear it. It takes away from her perfection, and it also puts both of us behind. If she has too many orders she doesn't spend enough time on our new theme 'The light of Paris' and exhibition."

Ayla and Nino glanced at each other, giving the same questionable look. Ayla looked back to Nathaniel. He seemed frustrated, which was fair if he had to wait on Marinette, but it wasn't necessarily her fault. This was part of the industry, no matter how much he disliked it. However she looked passed Nathaniel to see Marinette standing in the doorway, hesitant to enter. Had she heard what Nathaniel said?

"Hey Girl! I was wondering when you would show up!" The designer jumped at the sound of her name.

"You know me; late for everything." She grinned and her friend laughed. "I wanted to make sure I didn't forget to give you the gift I made you."

Marinette held out a small bag. The suprised reporter took the gift. "Awe, you didn't have to do this Mar."

"It's not everyday I get to see my best friend! Especially since she went off to become such a stud reporter." The girls pig tails bounced with happiness as she handed the bag to her friend.

Ayla reached her and into the bag and felt some sort of fabric. It was soft and silky. She pulled out her hand and revealed a lovely white button down shirt with a painted design of Ladybug's yoyo wrapping around Chat Noir's batan. Ayla was speechless. "Marinette, it's beautiful. Thank you!" She wrapped her hands around her best friend, who returned the hug.

"You wasted time to make her a shirt with _them_ on it?" Nathaniel was exasperated.

Ayla was shocked. "What did you say?" She turned to the outspoken artist.

The redhead was baffled. "I just can't believe Marinette would make any kind of memorabilia for the duo that brought so much pain to or city."

The reporter blinked with confusion. "What?"

"Ayla is one of Ladybug and Chat Noir's biggest fans." The pigtailed girl stated. Her voice had been strong but Ayla could see the hint of worry hidden in her friends sapphire eyes.

"Yes, and she has also been out of Paris for the three years. She has no understanding of the social injustices those two super fiends have caused for myself and many others."

Nino scrunched his nose with disapproval. "Nathaniel, it is alright now. They stopped Hawkmoth. They brought peace to Paris."

"They are the ones that brought the trouble here in the first place." Nathaniel ranted. His nostrils fared, and his fist was clenched. "They don't understand how much trouble their presence has caused."

"Nathaniel, please," Marinette sounded distraught. Her eyes filling with guilt that this conversation had gone one as long as it had. "I was just trying to give Ayla a gift I knew she would like. I didn't want mean to get you upset about this. Please I just want us to drop this and eat dinner."

Nathaniel's clenched fist lessoned. "Sorry, Marinette. I know it wasn't your intension to upset me. Perhaps now is a better time for diner." Ayla's eyes narrowed. Her reporter senses at work. There was something off. Nathaniel and Marinette were not on the best of terms. This was more than just a shirt. She knew she would need to do some digging while she was out her.

_oOo_

Dinner was a lovely homemade linguine and freshly made sour dough. The dinner talk was light. Ayla expressed her excitement about being done with University. Nino filled the space with stories about his band and the various places in Europe he had been to while away. All of them laughed. Nathaniel drank espresso, and bantered on about different details about being an entrepreneur while in the art world. Marinette smiled, giggled, and listened intently to everyone's tales, never sharing one herself.

At a quarter past ten Ayla yawned. "It's getting late. I need to check into the apartment I am staying at."

"I can drive you there." Nino offered. "What is the building you are staying at?"

"It is called the _Noir de Suit,_ " She said checking her phone for the details.

Nathaniel's smile quickly faded to a frown. "That's Chat Noir's hotel."

Marinette sat up straight. "Chat Noir's…" she whispered. With a dazed look in her eyes she panned over the group. Nino was typing in directions into his phone. Nathaniel was glaring at Ayla's bag which contained the newly made Chat Noir and Ladybug shirt. Ayla who was still looking down at her phone and over to Nino's making sure he was typing in the correct location. Marinette pulled herself out of the daze long enough to ask a question. "Who did you say was your client, Ayla?"

Ayla looked up, noting the slightly panicked look in her best friend's eyes. She was hiding something. "I didn't." she replied coolly. "He likes his privacy." Marinette's eyes glossed over with fear.

"Alright, I got the directions in. It's basically on the other side of the Eiffel Tower from your apartment. Ready to go when you are dude." Nino looked up to Marinette and Nathaniel. "Thanks for inviting me over guys. It was great to see you both doing so well." Ayla smirked. Nino's genuine gratitude broke the tension. The two artists smiled lightly.

"We were so happy to spend time with you," Marinette smiled. "Come by any time."

"And stop by the studio when you get the chance!" Nathaniel added.

"I may stop by tomorrow." Ayla said. "Which reminds me, I forgot what your studio was called. I'm sure Marinette told me in one of our Skype calls while I was at school, but it is slipping mind."

"It's Evillustrator Ink." Nathaniel grimaced.

"Oh, that's…. clever." She smiled sympathetically.

Everyone hugged and waved goodbye. Ayla followed Nino to his car and got into the passenger side. Nino placed her bags in the trunk before entering the driver's side. The two drove off in anticipated silence. Nino concentrating on navigating the dark roads, while listening to his phone's voice shout out directions. Ayla yawned and concentrated on all the events that had happened that day. She thought that she would have been worried or even a bit nervous about working for Chat Noir blindly, but she was not. Instead she saved her worries and nervousness for her best friend.

Marinette was not quite the same fashion loving girl she had left in Paris and talked over the computer with. There was something off about her whole partnership with Nathaniel. Was he being fair? Why did she keep her room so private?

Ayla was only able to stay lost in her thoughts for a moment before Nino interrupted them. "Ayla, check out that bill board!" He pointed straight ahead.

Ayla's mouth dropped and her eyes followed Nino's finger. Straight ahead were a pair of very large, familiar green eyes. Adrien Agreste's face posted on the board ahead. His stared straight at the car as it drove past. The words beside him read _He will be lost in your eyes with your… Allure._ "Was that Adrien's face on a perfume add?" she finally uttered.

"Yep," Nino confirmed. "A lot of things have changed yet stayed the same out here."

"Do you keep in touch with him?"

"We talk on the phone a bit. He is actually the one who asked me to DJ at the party this week. Some model friend he owed a favor.' He shrugged. "I'm happy to do it if that means I get some time with my best bud."

"Is he… is he doing alright? You know since…"

"He's doing as fine as he can be." Nino cut her off. "It's hard to find out your dad has been causing havoc across Paris. However, I think he's having a harder time adjusting to being the lone heir to the Agreste fortune and the Gabriel fashion line."

The both sighed as Nino pulled up to the hotel. The building was large, but difficult to admire at night. The only thing to enjoy about the apartment building was the cursive lit sign that read _Welcome to Noir de Suit_ that rested on top of the glowing front entrance light.

After pausing for a few moments, Ayla turned to face Nino. "Marinette was strange tonight, right?"

Nino nodded his head. "She's been like that for a while now. Ever since we all graduated and she began study in fashion. It took a while to notice, but she seems to be slowly dwindling away."

"Do you know why?" Ayla Perused.

"I have some ideas, but now is not where we should discuss this. Can we meet tomorrow? I'm staying with my parents so this isn't too far for me."

Ayla nodded. "Let's get coffee tomorrow morning."

"Pick you up at 9?"

"Perfect." Ayla's face warmed with a comforting smile. "Thank you for the ride." The brunette hoped out of the car and waved goodbye to her friend as he drove off after hearing his cue of the closing trunk and Ayla's bags hitting the sidewalk.

She turned to look up at the building. It was certainly one of the largest apartment buildings in Paris. As her eyes scaled the building, a figure caught her eyes. He was so still and stoic on the edge of the building, that to the untrained eye he would appear to be a statue. Ayla knew better. She had observed this figure many times. Chat Noir was perched at the top of the building staring off into the distance. Ayla followed his gaze to see he was staring towards the Eiffel tower, watching the red warning light bling endlessly in the night.

She turned back to him and called out his name. "Chat Noir." She half raised her hand to wave. His head snapped in her direction. Though far from her, she could see and feel the intensity glowing from his acidic green eye. Their eyes met only for a moment, before he leapt away, opposite from where he was looking. She put her hand down. Chat wanted to be alone, and she needed to sleep. She walked into the front of the apartment, gave her name to the attendant, and was handed a key with and enveloped addressed to her, along with instructions to get to her suit.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Alya had been asked by Chat Noir to find Ladybug, she had not expected him to be such a gracious client. She had expected that he would have wanted privacy. She expected that he would remain in contact with her to find out what everything she had learned. She was however surprised that he would offer her a place to stay. Ayla assumed it was more for his privacy than hers. How could she work on Chat Noir related activities with friends and family constantly pestering her? This apartment though… this apartment was utterly shocking.

The apartment Chat noir had provided her with was luxurious. Black marble floors filled the entry. White walls with roman pillar beams directed her eyes the wall of windows in front of her where a black leather couch and two black leather chairs enjoyed the view of the Eiffel tower. Upon exploration Ayla found; a full kitchen with black granite counters, a dark oak table, and every tool possible for cooking, two full bathrooms both with black and white tiles in floor and shower, along with a matching marble tub in each, and two bedrooms, one with her name mounted on the door as if she were the owner of an office building.

"Gotta give that cat a hand," Alya said out loud. "he knows how to impress." Taking her bags with her into the room, she found a large bed, closet, door to one of the bathrooms, and a yellow rose on the night stand with a note.

 _Thank you_

The reporter grinned at the simple note, but then remembered she had another envelope to open. The attendant had handed her an envelope addressed to herself. The only person who knew she would be staying at this apartment was Chat Noir, so logically the reporter concluded that he had written some sort of instructions to her. So it was easy to say she was shocked when she saw the enveloped only contained an invitation to a party on the penthouse atop of this very apartment the day after tomorrow.

 _Please join us in celebrating the night_

 _On Friday, June 17th_

 _At Penthouse Suit at the Noir de Suit_

 _Time 9pm-?_

 _See you there_

There was a time, a date, and an address, but no host, only a green paw print. Chat Noir was hosting a party. This was all so strange indeed. He was a cat though, and perhaps a party animal as well. Alya yawned. The time was 11:30 pm. This was all so much for the first day back in Paris. She would need to sleep if she wanted to function at all. Alya set her phone for 7am, and got ready for bed.

_oOo_

Alya sat up in the dark room. She could hear someone walking around outside of her room. ' _Did I not lock the door?'_ She thought. She checked her phone. 6:04 AM. Panic was sinking in. Should she pretend to be asleep and hope whoever it is goes away? No, no. that was not her style. She would confront the intruder.

Creeping towards the door the reporter heard the intruder opening and closing a soft door. She heard the sound of a gas stove turn on. There was the unmistakable smell of eggs. ' _Is this creep cooking?'_ Alya thought. ' _The hell if I'm going to just let someone that weird break in. If I go missing Chat Noir will know what happened.'_

She pushed open the door and stormed out, phone in hand ready to catch the intruder in the act. "Ok! Who do you think you are breaking into a person's…." A pair of acid green eyes interrupted her sentence.

Chat Noir was standing in the kitchen. He flashed a mischievous grin. "I, madam, am no _cat-_ burglar."

"What the hell Chat Noir! Why are you sneaking around like that?"

He shook his head. "I thought we should meet to go over a few details, and make you breakfast while I am here."

"Do you make breakfast for every investigative reporter you employ?"

"Would you expect anything less of me?" He arched an eyebrow. "

Alya rolled her eyes. "Whatever. What's for breakfast, Chatsinova?"

"Crepes, berries, and coffee."

Alya sat down at the table, as Chat brought over a plate of decadent crepes. "Wow! First he fights crime. Now, he's a personal chef. Tell me, Chat Noir, what is next for you?"

"Hopefully settling down and being with my lady." His answer was sweet, but left an aftertaste of desperation. Ayla began to eat, unsure how to fill the air.

Chat looked out the windows and sighed. "I need you to find her."

Alya swallowed a bite full of crepe. "What makes you think I can?"

"Ladybug cares for you. I can't explain why, she just always has. She always would go out of her way to make sure you were always safe." He stood up continuing to stare out the window. "I think that if you are back here, you might be the only one that can find her or at least come back out."

"So I'm simply bait for your Lovebug," Alya summarized.

"No. you are more than that. You are someone she cares for. I think you may know her civilian form."

Alya spat out the berries in her mouth. "What?! I know LB? Who is she?"

"I don't know."

"So it's just a hunch?"

"It's the only hunch I have left. Besides you have seen almost everything my lady and I have gone through." His voice was hollow and desperate."This is why it is imperative you come to my party on Friday. Maybe if you are there she might come. Maybe she will reconnect with you and you will be able to figure out who she is."

"Don't worry, this reporter knows how to find a scoop. If anyone at your party is hiding secrets, you can bet I will figure them out."

He smiled. "I knew you would be the _Purr-fect_ reporter for the job. Speaking of hire," he reached a claw into his left zipper pocket and pulled out a bundle of cash. He tossed it in front of the reporters table. "Having a bank account attached to the name Chat Noir is not something I find that would protect my alter ego. I will be paying you in cash. I hope this will be enough for this week. I plan to pay you every week you are out here. Also please let me know if there are any accommodations you need for your stay here. "

Alya picked up the bundle of bills. "Chat, this is too much. It's sweet, but _all_ this upfront. Along with providing me a place to stay, and breakfast! To be blunt, this is way more than you should pay anyone to just agree to look for someone who is hiding."

Chat turned towards Ayla. Leaning over to set his face in front of hers. "A few things. One, Money is not a problem for me. Two, I need you to stay here for protection of my own identity. Three, without Ladybug I have nothing left to live for." The hero snapped his head away and walked towards the windows. He pushed one open and hopped on the glass ledge. "I will see you on Friday." He saluted the reporter with two fingers before extending his baton into the city street and disappearing into the morning.

Alya looked at her phone to check the time. 6:30 am. She yawned and finished her plate of crepes. Chat Noir was quite desperate to find Ladybug. At least she would not be late for coffee with Nino.

_oOo_

Though it had three years since she had seen her high school sweetheart, Alya was still hoping to impress Nino with a bit of makeup and her long wavy hair. Keeping her glasses on she devoted the 'geek chic' and with five minutes remaining until 9 am, she sauntered down to the main floor where she waited for Nino to arrive.

Getting dressed had been a distraction from Chat Noir's sudden visit. The cat she was used to filming and joked with in interviews had only been partially there this morning. He was clearly desperate, which made Alya worry some. ' _Without out Ladybug I have nothing.'_ Alya knew that Chat Noir had always told Ladybug she was his world, but she had always assumed it was a flirtatious joke. Now she knew how serious he really was.

Nino pulled up to the front. The DJ's yellow car opened the side door for Alya as she approached the car. "Good morning. You look nice."

"Since when did you become such a gentleman?" Alya cocked an eyebrow.

"Ha, ha. Well you know… being on the road with a bunch of single dudes to play at clubs all over Europe really changes a guy."

Alya laughed even harder. "What happened? Do all your bros try to play, but they're took smashed to see how bad they are. So you end up swooping in and getting the girls simply by apologizing for your friends being idiots?"

Nino's eyes widened. He faced forward and started the car. "No comment."

Alya laughed. "Ok, I'm done with the pestering. We have coffee to get to."

"Yeah. You have a lot to catch up on."

Ayla's face lit up. "Man, Nino I missed you. I know I'm out here for work but, I'm glad I can get together with you to find out what I've missed."

"I missed you too. We work well together. I'm glad you're here. I think you can really help out."

"What's going on?"

The car stopped. "I'll tell you more when we get some coffee."

The Coffee shop was a mom and pop shop that wasn't very crowded. They had spent the first few minutes bickering over paying for each other's coffee. Alya finally one when she pulled out the wad of cash Chat noir had left her, Nino put his wallet away. "I know when I'm defeated." They collected their beverages and went outside to chat.

Nino was stilled shocked by Alya's payload. "Dude! where did you get that much money?"

She shrugged. "I have a really wealthy client I guess. Now don't keep me waiting, what is going on with my bestie and her roommate?"

"She really hasn't called you about anything that happened with herself and Nathaniel?"

The brunette shook her head. "We used to talk everyday, but as school picked up for me, she just sorta stopped talking about what was going on with her. I tried to keep up with her, but school work kept me from being able to pushing more out of her. So what happened?"

The DJ leaned across the table. "Ok Alya, It's just me. I'm about to spill the beans on what's going on with our friends at their studio. I was told all this in confidence. The least you can do is give me a hint."

"I don't know. It seems that you've become a bit of a gossip." Her eyebrows raised up and down. The DJ's glasses slid down his nose with his smile. "I will give you a hint… after you fill me in with what's going on with Marinette and Nathaniel."

"It's a deal." He stuck out his his fist out, and the reporter responded with a fist bump. "I'll warn you now, it's a long story. "

"Just give me the deets."

He sighed. "Nathaniel had started having trouble related to Ladybug and Chat Noir when he began applying to art school. Every school he applied to sent him a letter of rejection. Even after you left for the U.K. after he continued to apply. He applied to over thirty schools, and all of them rejected him. That's when he just started getting mad about the whole situation. Ladybug and Chat Noir were easy for him to blame."

"That's horrible! He's such a great artist! But what does that have to do with Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

Nino's brows furrowed. "You really are clueless right now?"

The report crossed her arms. "What am I missing, Nino?"

"The reason he was rejected by every school was because of his akumatized form, the Evillustrator. Every art school found the reports of him using his art to attack people was not something the colleges wanted to be remembered for. They are worried he wouldn't be able to handle the criticism. Everyone in our class who was akumatized received some sort of rejection from a school in France because they were some form of 'emotionally unstable.' Heck, even I had to explain myself when I was interviewing to DJ. I was able to get away with I was just too passionate to throw a good party for my friend. You never were questioned about being Lady Wifi?"

"It was never really brought up. People were more impressed with the fact that i was there for almost every akuma. I had news credit and a semiprofessional blog. If anything being akumatized once allowed me to be able to see the whole story and explain from a more unbiased way. "

"I guess you handled this better than a lot of other people." Nino sipped his drink.

"Had everyone in the class been rejected that much?"

"Actually a group of our friends got together to try and sue Chloe."

"Sue!" The reporter almost spit out her coffee. "Why were they taking that brat to court? Because she's loaded?"

"More to try and clear their name and blame all their problems on her. Juleka didn't make it into the beauty school she wanted to go to because her 'Reflekta side' might not handle the complicated 'multiple representations' of beauty in the world. This made her so upset that she developed all kinds of problems; depression, sleep apnea, an eating disorder.

"Then one day in the summer she decided this was all Chloe's fault for being such a bully. She hired a lawyer and contacted everyone she knew the contact info to over the summer and told them she had a lawyer and wanted to know if they wanted in as well to go after Chloe as well. Alix and Kim joined up with Juleka right away. They we both upset about losing ability to join sports and clubs at their university because no one wanted to be affiliate with an akuma."

"That's a little extreme isn't it?" Alya's eyes grew wide through the lens of her glasses. "The fact our classmates would become so mob like is shocking."

"What's really shocking is that Sabrina and her dad joined the cas against Chloe. Rodger even brought in the fact that he was akumatized because he was fired by Mayor Bourgeois for not apprehending someone his daughter accused of stealing with no evidence. "

"Woah." She leaned back in her seat in disbelief. Why had she been kept out of loop for so long? How was it that Nino was just telling her this, when she could of been hearing about this first hand. Alya had not realized how far out of touch she really had been. Would she even have been able to empathize with all her classmates when she had been so successful?

Nino took the moment to drink from his mug. He glanced up at Alya seeing her absorb the information she had just learned. Her posture was relaxed, but she was clearly chewing all the new information in her mind. Nino cleared his throat, and Alya looked up; giving the DJ the sign to continue.

"As the charges grew against Chloe, the case became more and more public. Nathaniel at the time was focusing on purchasing his studio with the money he made from selling his art online. Chloe needed people on her side, and she found an adversary in Lila."

"Lila? After her akuma attack she sat in the back and did her own thing."

"So we thought." Nino tilted the brim of his hat up to show more of his face. "Apparently, Nathaniel and Lila became really close sitting in the back together. They even went on a date during our senior year!"

The reporter stood up from shock. "What?!"

Nino placed his had over his mouth to whisper. "Yeah. I've actually heard they are still a thing. Any way, Lila managed to convince Nathaniel to help defend Chloe. The three of them teamed up and got a lawyer as well. The defending argument; Ladybug and Chat Noir were the cause of all their problems. If they knew that Hawkmoth wanted their miraculous, then they should have announced that they were leaving Paris so Hawkmoth would have vanished and not caused so much pain."

"So Nathaniel just suddenly switched over to hating the heros that saved Paris, just like that."

Nino nodded his head. "Apparently Lila is _convincing_."

"Gross!" Alya gaged. "But that doesn't explain why Marinette has crawled into her shell."

"Well it kind of does actually. When Marinette started to study design at the local Gabriel Agrest School for design," the two shuttered at the awkward tension from the school's name, "she had already started to seem kinda had kept in contact with Nathaniel to have someone to bounce Ideas off of. The date for the court had been set, Nathaniel apparently begged our sweet Marinette to join his side. She had received a call from Juleka but she just said that she didn't want to be involved. Nathaniel's call however, was different." Nino stared into his almost empty mug as he spoke, twirling a spoon around in the foam of the latte.

"Nathaniel had informed her that she was going to be called as a witness for his akumatized self and just wanted to give her a heads up on dates so she didn't fall too far behind with school. She received the court summons the next day and went to answer questions. I wasn't at the trial, but from what I was told from Max, Marinette fell apart at the stands. She kept answer questions about how Nathaniel had vowed to not hurt Chloe if she had gone on a date with him, and that nothing bad would have happened if Chat Noir hadn't have interfered and manipulated Marinette to get his pen. Everyone on Juleka's side who was involved in the court case began shouting at Nathaniel for manipulating Marinette. A huge fight broke out in the courtroom, and Kim had to be removed for the remainder of the trial. The judge and jury sided with Chloe and most people believe it was because of Marinette.

"After that trial Marinette just wasn't the same. Many of our classmates refuse to talk to her. I think after seeing everyone fight like that made her feel so guilty she couldn't function. So that's when she dropped out of design school, she moved in with Nathaniel to help with the studio, and that's all I know."

Nino looked up when felt the table shaking. He saw his friend hunched over on the table. Her back was shaking with irregular breath. "Alya," he reached a hand to clasp over hers. The girl lifted her head tears pouring from her face.

"Why didn't she tell me?" she bawled. "Why would my best friend allow herself to hurt so much, and not even inform me of what was going on? I let my school work get in the way, of what's really important. I should have been here. I should have been helping her!" Alya continued to cry. Warm tears crawling down her face, until she felt a warm embrace surround her. The shock shook her light brown eyes open.

Nino embraced his friend. "You couldn't have helped her when you were far away. However you are here now. I'm here now. We are going to figure out a way to fix this together. There is too much animosity and anger in Paris."

The brunette wiped her tears. "Thanks Nino. You are right. As much anger and stress that has changed everyone else in this city, we need to be here for each other, and be here for our friends."

"We'll figure out what to do." He let go of the reporter and returned to his seat. "Let's change topics. I think that's enough tears for now."

Alya laughed. "What do you have in mind?"

"How about that clue I earned for who your 'secret client' is I was such a useful source." He raised an eyebrow.

A snort escaped from Alya trying to hold in her laugh. "Alright I guess you earned that much." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the invitation to the party on Friday. "They are someone who can get me into a cool scene like this."

Nino picked up the invitation and read it. His eyes grew big and his mouth gaped open. "Alya, this is the party I am going to be the DJ for this week."


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Hi all! Want to thank you all for the comments, messages, and reviews! It means so much to me to know people want to read what I am writing. I hope to have Chapter 4 out super soon. The Party will occur in the 4th so stay tuned to! Also I appreciate all messages, comments, or all are awesome. ~ Traditional Twist

Chapter 3

Coffee with Nino had created more informational for Alya than she anticipated. Not only did she learn the woes of her best friend and what she had missed since parting to the U.K.; she learned that she would not be attending Chat Noir's exclusive party alone. Did Nino know who was hosting this party? Would Nino be willing to keep watch? He had such an amazing vantage point as DJ. He would also have the perfect reason for everyone to talk to him.

"In 100 yards take a right," the GPS from Alya's phone blasted at Nino. "Then you have reached your destination."

"Should I wait here for you?" Nino asked as he pulled his car in front of the Noir de Suite.

Alya rolled her eyes. "Just park the car and follow me."

Upon opening the door to her home away from home, Alya's ears were filled with gasps of aesthetics pleasure from her friend. "This is what an apartment in this place looks like? I can't wait to see what the penthouse is like! No wonder the party will be there."

"Keep it down," Alya hushed. "I'm not exactly sure if he wants me bringing people back here."

"Your client?" Alya nodded. "He probably doesn't expect you to have a partner for this too."

"Partner? You think you've earned that title yet?

"We came here to talk didn't we? That means I'm about to become invested in this whole shenanigan as well. If I'm involved, then I am your partner."

The reporter smirked and sat on the black leather couch. "Let's start with side kick before we label you full on partner."

"We'll see," the DJ winked and joined the reporter on the couch. "Let's get business out of the way. It's nice to get an idea for the kind of venue I will being playing at."

Alya shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe that you will be at this party as well. Will you be able to talk to people and mingle while you are dropping beats?"

"I should be able to get away and talk for some small amount of time. Why? Should I save you a dance?"

Alya reached over to Nino and smacked his hat off of his head. "Get serious. This is work for me. Work that is for an _extremely_ important client."

"And work that you would like me to get involved in?" Nino's eyebrow raised with his smirk.

Alya turned her head to look out the window towards the Eiffel tower, cheeks slightly tinting pink. "I could use another pair of eyes to search for someone."

Nino's body relaxed. He could hear a somber tone in her voice. "Yeah, I could do that. I'm the music man, I'm going to be the main focus for a lot of people."

"You have prime real estate. I need to use that vantage point. You Need to understand that what I am about to tell you cannot be repeated to anyone, alright?" He nodded.

Alya sighed. "Where do I begin? "I guess this all actually started back in high school. My client is not the average person. I met them several times as a teenager but never really knew who they were or even their real name. They are someone I came to know and become quite comfortable around, but I never imagined that I would be someone they would ever track down to contact. They have asked me to help them find someone. I don't know the identity of this person I am looking for, but my client believes that they were close to me. It's important to me to find this person because this client is important to me."

"So who is this important client? He's loaded, got great taste in venue, and extremely private. Is this someone from high school who fell in love with a stripper or something?"

"No." The reporter shook her head.

"Then who could be that important?"

"Chat Noir."

Nino blinked, dumbfounded. "Chat Noir? As in the super hero? As in the dude that owns this hotel?"

"The one and only."

"So that means," Nino's eyes were wide. "You're tracking Ladybug! Are you crazy dude? No one has seen her in years! How are you supposed to find her?"

"Hopefully she will come to this party."

"Why? Did she RSVP or something? Since Ladybug disappeared, Chat Noir has held a party like this once a month at least. It' like how he copes without her. This party is not going to be any different?"

"He thinks that if I am there, she may come? Who knows? Maybe I just have to keep showing up until she arrives. The point is I need you searching a taking note of everyone you see that we knew in school together. Look for someone who matches with Ladybug's description."

"And what do I do if I find her?"

"Get her name? Stall her and wave me over to meet her? Let her pick the next fifteen songs? Any of those should work to stall."

Nino crossed his legs on the couch, leaning forward to rest his head on his hands. Alya knew that was is think pose. He folded up like a turtle in a shell and would sit and think. He looked up out of the window. "I hate to be that guy, but are you not concerned about what Chat Noir could do to you if you don't find Ladybug?"

The reporter's eyes grew wide. "What are you suggesting?"

"That if you don't find her, is he going to…. attack you?"

"How could you even suggest that?"

He threw his hands up as a plea. "I'm just asking. I don't really know how to react, but I just want to make sure you are safe. The guy is a superhero who can destroy anything he touches! It's been two years since anyone has seen Ladybug. That cat has to be desperate if he hunting down people to find someone who vanished two years ago."

"He wouldn't hurt me. Unlike you, I've gotten to know the heroes from reporting. They gave me the experience no one else my age could ever have as a starting reporter. They did a great favor to me. I can at least try for him. He knew Ladybug better than anyone. If he thinks I can help, then I am committed." Alya stood up. "He is desperate. But I owe him the opportunity to try."

"Alright, I'm in. I will keep an eye open at the party. What else can I do?"

"I need to quickly change, and then I'm going to ask you for a ride."

"No problem. Where too?"

"Evillustrator Ink. I have a dress to get tailored, and a best friend to spend some time with."

_oOo_

Alya did not expect to feel as relieved as she did to have Nino working with her. The hunt for Ladybug was going to be difficult, but Nino made her feel more at ease. She smiled as she waved goodbye to the DJ win her left hand; clutching a folded dress in her right. He tipped his hat and sped off down the road. Wind from the car shook the shirt tails of the lovely blouse Marinette had made for the reporter.

Turning around, Alya looked up to see a white, one story building. Its small structure sat in the shadows of the surrounding buildings in the area. On top of the front face of the studio were red block letters spelling Evillustrator Ink. Three colored circles (blue, red, yellow) in the formation of an upside down triangle. A black beret rested on the blue and red circles. Nathaniel had certainly put in a lot of detail into his studio.

A bell by the door chimed. Alya walked into the center of a large open room. Dresses with frames of different works of art we stationed throughout out the space. Straight ahead of her was a doorway covered by a purple curtain.

The curtain was slightly brushed back as a red head emerged from behind. "Welcome to Evillustrator Ink!" He spoke before looking up. "Hey Alya! You should have called if you were stopping by?"

Alya could see he was surprised. She watched as his eyes flickered from her face, to the material in her hands, to her shirt, and back to her face. She watched him fight back a frown, but instead disguise it as a light smile.

"Hey Nathaniel! I hope I'm not intruding."

"No, you are always welcomed. Did you… um come to take a look around?" The reporter could hear the slight tint of uncomfortable

"I actually came here for some help from my one and only seamstress friend, but I would love a tour."

"Sure, follow me. Marinette is actually helping someone right now. I'm sure she would be happy to see you, especially since you are um... wearing her present."

"Look Nathaniel, before this becomes too weird, Nino told me about what happened with the trial. I respect your opinion and completely understand why you are upset,

"Really? I appreciate that you are not going to interrogate me on why I am upset."

"I am not going to interrogate you, but I am going to remind you that I was not involved in this trial. Therefor I am not taking sides or making any opinions. This is a shirt my best friend made me. I am going to wear it. Even if she had painted dog poop on the front of this I would wear it. "

The redhead smiled. "Mari does make some wonderful clothes."

"Exactly! So please don't make what I wear into any part of the situation that has occurred while I was not present."

Nathaniel nodded his head. "I appreciate you talking to me like this. It's really quite refreshing to have someone with an open mind."

"Investigative reporting one-o-one; always keep an open mind."

Nathaniel laughed. "I can see why your client would call you back out here to Paris. You are quite impressive."

The sound of the curtain moving back caused the two to turn their heads. Outside popped a blonde ponytail followed by a pair of pigtails.

"You are sure that it won't fall?" The blonde asked a very tired and irritated looking Marinette.

"I'm positive, Chloe. The strap will stay on the dress."

"I have to make sure that this dinner goes well for Daddy."

The seamstress rolled her eyes. "I know Chloe, but honestly I don't think a dress will help get your dad re-elected."

"If the people want to see me as fabulous as I am, they will re-elect him." Chloe' head turned away from Marinette to see Alya and Nathaniel staring at her. "What are you doing here?" she directed at Alya. "And what are you wearing?"

"It was a gift." Alya smiled at Marinette. The pigtailed girl's eyes widened with delight to see her best friend wearing her shirt. "I only learned it was controversial this morning. Sorry to hear about that chaos."

Chloe blinked, not knowing what to do with the empathy before shaking her head. "It's, whatever. We won. Those losers lost. They can't blame me for my problems. Besides, I now know who I can really count on." Alya didn't miss the eye contact between Chloe and Nathaniel.

"Come on Nathaniel. We can't leave your girlfriend waiting. She thinks I was just picking you. She doesn't know I had business to attend to as well."

Nathaniel jumped at the realization. "Yeah, Lila will get quite upset if we arrive late." The artist turned to the seamstress. "Alya needs your help Marinette. Do you want me to close the studio for you two?"

"That would be awesome! Thank you Nate. Then i don't have to worry about anyone coming in while I'm helping Alya."

Nathaniel smiled. "Yeah, it would be sucked if we were robbed. I will lock the door then as we leave. See you later."

Alya and Marinette waved Nathaniel and Chloe off. Alya couldn't help but grin. Finally she would be alone with Marinette. Time to do some digging, and also to clue her into the reason why she was back in Paris. Marinette had helped her with many a Ladyblog post, and if this reporter was going to find their missing hero, she was going to need some more help from people she could trust.


	4. Chapter 4

Note: : Hello everyone! Thank you a so much for reading! I tried to get chapter 4 out to you guys as fast as I could type. Please review, and let me know what you think. I would like to think everyone who has reviewed, Favorited, and is following. I feel very blessed to have so many people interested and supporting me. Please enjoy!

Chapter 4

Alya followed her best friend behind the curtain to a small back room. There was a floor length mirror, three chairs, and circular stool in the center of the room. To the left side of the room there was a bathroom door.

Marinette hugged Alya as soon as they entered the room. "I'm so excited you are here."

The reporter wrapped her arms around her best friend. "Me too girl. It's nice to see all the different dresses you have on display. No wonder you were always busy!"

"Yeah, well it doesn't help when you live with your work partner as well."

"You two focus on your work a lot. You need to rest and take some time off."

"I can do that later. Besides I believe you have brought work for me."

Alya smiled sheepishly. "You are literally the only seamstress I know."

"It's fine! What are friends for?" Marinette grabbed the clothes from Alya's hands. She unfolded it, revealing a very short black strapless dress. "Besides, I have a feeling what you want done with is… personal," she winked.

Alya blushed. "About that, I sort of have to attend a party for my client. This is the only dress I thought to bring, and I don't know if I really want my client to see me in that."

The two laughed. "Why don't you put it on and I will see if I can make this more "work" appropriate." She pointed to the bathroom.

Alya obliged and entered the bathroom. She sighed. For the first time she will be able to talk to her best friend about her very important and pressing matter. Marinette had been one of the few of her classmates who had had encounters with both Ladybug and Chat Noir. She had worked with Chat Noir when Nathaniel had been akumatized, and the seamstress had somehow had the opportunity to personally ask Ladybug to meet up for an interview with her reporter friend. The reporter knew that she was going to have to ease her way into the topic of the two heros in order to get any information. Marinette was sensitive right now. She had to use everything she had learned in school to restrain herself from spilling everything she wanted to know in order to get the right information out of her best friend.

The brunette pulled the black dress on and opened the door. The dress had been much shorter and much more for fitting than expected. Marinette's blue eyes looked like they were screaming. "Why do you own that? Where you an undercover prostitute?"

"When a girl wants to go to a club and have fun, why can't she dress to have fun?"

"We need to redefine your definition of fun."

"Alright miss smarty-seamstress, can you help me make this more appropriate?"

"I don't think I can fix that. The only thing I can think to do is hem it and make it into a nice blouse."

Alya rolled her eyes. "Ok, well this dress is out the window. Want to go shopping with me? I have to have this dress by Friday."

Marinette thought for a moment. "I think I may have a dress for you. Give me a moment." She walked through the purple curtain.

Alya heard a door open and then close. Moments passed. Alya tapped her foot. Should she tell Marinette that she was going to Chat Noir's party? Should she invite Marinette to come along? Chat knew who Marinette was. He could probably trust her, but still bringing someone as sensitive as Marinette was to a party involving superheroes may not be the best plan. The reporter was surprised though. Her friend had heard the conversation with She had with Chloe. Marinette knew she had learned about the trial, and that she had not learned any of it from her best friend. This could not be ignored. She would bring this up.

The sound of a door opening and closing echoed in the studio room. The seamstress walked back in carrying a magenta and plum over the shoulder dress. "We have no room in here to store anything, so I rented a small portable unit that sits beside the emergency exit. I like to place my… um rejected dresses in there in case they are more fitting for another theme Nathaniel comes up with."

"Don't you come up with the themes together?" Alya arched an eyebrow. Perhaps the reporter side of her could not restrain the strong personality she naturally had around her best friend.

"Sometimes we do." Marinette tried to sound hopeful. "It's just that he has more time to think of ideas while I am doing fittings for people. He just kind goes and paints when he isn't able to spend the time with Lila or Chloe."

"That sounds like a crappy plan." Alya let leak the annoyance in her voice. "Why isn't he at least discussing themes with you? Or helping you schedule out your fittings so you two have time to discuss and maybe even start what you do next. You work with Nathaniel, not for Nathaniel."

Marinette waved her hands in front of herself. "It's really no big deal, Alya."

"How are you so passive about this?" Alya's voice began to rise with rage. You are being so passive about all of this… and… and you didn't even tell me anything bad was going on!" It was finally out. Alya had tried to hold herself back and be professional, but she could be a reporter when she was with Marinette. The past two times Alya had seen Marinette, and she had turned into a push over. The seamstress was once so bold, and loud. She was excited to share any news.

"There was so much happening, and I had to wait to hear from Nino 3 years later. I talked to you every other week, and you said nothing! You are going through all this stress, and instead of sharing you let me blabber on to you about London, university, and whatever else happened. Did you change because of the way I was acting? Did I not ask you enough about how you were doing? What happened to Marinette? The girl who used to stand up to everyone, who would put people in their place? What happened to leader that i knew so well? What happened to my best friend?"

"You were the only positive thing in my life!" Marinette's eyes were bubbling. "Everyone was so angry and stressed out her. The trial was the only thing anyone wanted to talk about. I didn't even want to get dragged into it until I was called to be a witness. When I started to speak, everything became a tangled mess. When the lawyers started talking, I tried to sit there and do what I believed was the right thing. Do what would hopefully make everyone friends again, but then arguments started and I realized that there was no way anyone was going to be ok after this. Then I would get to come home and you would tell me about all the exciting new things, and how wonderful your experience was. I wasn't going to ruin your life too! You were happy. And if at least one person could be happy then it may all have been worth it."

The emotion that erupted from Marinette stunned her best friend. She had not considered how fortunate she had been. Nor had she considered how she may be the only one with any relation to the entire akumatized events of the past who was successfully living out her future with no negative consequences.

Alya's anger shifted into guilt. "I feel like such an idiot."

"I just wanted to fool you, and I guess hope you would be a fool. That you would be too fooled to see what was happening."

"Well I was blind for three years, so I think you did your job." The reporter smirked and opened up her arms. The seamstress sniffled and collapsed into the embrace.

"I'm sorry I didn't keep you updated." The pigtailed girl cried into the brunette's hair. "I just wanted some happiness."

"Girl, it's completely understandable. Things seemed to have become quite hectic around here. But not everyone had their futures ruined by akumas. Nino is becoming a pretty famous DJ."

Marinette nodded and lifted her head to wipe the tears from her eyes. "That's true. He gets to be what he has always wanted."

"And don't forget Adrien. He's managed to get the Gabriel brand back on the rebound. Not bad for a Model, huh?" She elbowed her friend in the ribs.

"I haven't talked to Adrien since the whole… Unmasking. I wouldn't know what to say to him."

"Only one way to find out. Maybe since I back in town I can get Nino to organize a reunion of sorts. Just the four of us."

"I'm sure he's so busy. He doesn't need to be bothered with petty high school drama bound to resurface."

"At least let me try. If he says he can't I won't ask again. If does answer though, we are going to have a reunion." Marinette gulped, but Alya didn't let her voice her concerns. "Now that that is settled, let's get back to my dress issue so my client doesn't think I get all my news in return for favors." She winked.

"Alya! Gross!" She tossed the fabric to the reporter. Go slip this on, and come back out so I can make adjustments.

Alya agreed and quickly got changed. The two friends spent the rest of the afternoon reminiscing about high school crushes, embarrassing moments, family meals, and the joys of reconnecting. Marinette never asked where Alya would wear this dress to, so Alya never told Marinette that she was going to Chat Noir's party or even that Chat Noir was her client. She would have to ask her friend eventually about Ladybug, and how well she knew the heroine. This afternoon however, was more about just making her best friend smile again, after seeing how depressed she had secretly been over the past few years.

_oOo_

When Alya had returned from her afternoon with old friends, she quickly set work in her apartment to begin looking for Ladybug. The first thing she would have to do was to revamp the ladyblog. She updated the website and sent out a post asking for any hints or clues anyone thought they had encountered that was related to Ladybug and her whereabouts.

As she waited for someone to respond, she began to review and revisit every video and every article her fifteen year old self had written or uploaded. Realizing she had at least three years of evidence to review, she called for a pizza to be delivered to her apartment. Eating could not be an excuse from reviewing every piece of evidence she had.

She was looking for consistencies, patterns, character traits her inexperienced teenage self would not have recognized or fully understood. Little things like averted eye contact, or constantly leaving and arriving at a certain time. Alya even began listing and tracking different traits of her alums tired friends.

The entire next day was devoted to tracking previous classmates' characteristics, and how Ladybug reacted to them in each circumstance. The reporter was looking for moments of weakness. What makes Ladybug fumble? What shocked her and made her concerned.

Hours of revisiting footage flew by. Alya had not realized that she had been looping the same video for the past four hours. She kept staring at video that a subscriber had been posted when Knight Blade had attacked the school. Chat had been surrounded, he had been fighting knights off left and right but ten of them had him pinned against the wall. At the top of the school Ladybug appeared. She took only a few minutes to see that Chat Noir was in trouble. She tossed her yoyo down for him to grab and successfully pulled him to safety. What Alya was continuously watching was the quick face of concern and doubt Ladybug had shown before throwing her yoyo to save her partner. It was moments like this where Alya could see more than just the care for a partner, this concern was deeper. She had been momentarily panic stricken. Ladybug clearly had strong feelings for Chat Noir, so why would she have left him?

Alya looked at her computer screen. It was five in the morning on Friday. She needed to go to sleep. She had a party to go to that evening, and being sleep deprived was not going to make her any use to Chat Noir. She closed her laptop and set her alarm for three in the afternoon. That should be plenty of time for her to get the sleep she needed and to get ready for the party that night.

_oOo_

Alya marbled at Marinette's craftsmanship. The magenta and purple silk dress was form fitting, yet loose enough to be comfortable. She had simple pair of black pumps matched with black stud earrings and a small black clutch.

Standing at the door the penthouse suite, Alya knew the party was going to be over the top. It was the only door on the entire floor, and Alya knew that was not the door to the roof entrance. When she touched the doorknob she felt how heavy the intricately detailed door truly was. The beautiful oak door was had to be heavy. It had to hide the grandiose living that only few ever got to see.

Upon opening the door Alya was awestruck. White walls with gold crowning balanced out the speckled white marble floor. A marble staircase let up to the next for. To the right with the living area with a balcony to the outside. She could see a projection of Nino DJing on a in the center of the living space. It looked as though almost one hundred people were dancing around him.

The place was crowded. Park entrance into the penthouse suite had only shown her a minor amount of what the wealthy could afford and Paris. Chat Noir certainly knew how to throw a party. Champagne flutes filled with the bubbly liquid were scattered all around the main floor. Beautiful models walked around carrying sample plates of food. One walked by Alya and handed her a tooth pick. She ate the morsel and her eyes filled with delight. This was by far the largest and the most decadent party the reporter had ever seen or been to.

Alya looked all around to see if she could recognize anyone more than just the DJ. She made her way of the marble staircase into a third floor staircase which led to the roof. On top of the roof was an Olympic sized swimming pool, butler's carrying more champagne, wine, and a variety of other foods. The dance floor that Nino was now residing over, was on the other side of the pool. Lights hung around the speakers in the upper area, glowing bright, but not bright enough to hide the stars. This was immaculate. The roof was where most of the party was happening.

The reported did her best to try to swim through the ground to try and see the DJ. She had only arrived thirty minutes after the party had begun. Alya didn't think arrive a tad late would mean that her accomplice would be swarmed by all the party goers. She knew the DJ was good. His band's music helped her write most of her thesis while at University. For twenty minutes she tried to reach her friend to find out if he had seen anyone Ladybug like, but the mop of party goers was too intense. She would need a different approach.

Alya looked all around to see if she could recognize anyone more than just the DJ. She made her way of the marble staircase into a third floor staircase which led to the roof. On top of the roof was an Olympic sized swimming pool, butler's carrying more champagne, wine, and a variety of other foods. The roof was where most of the party was happening. She saw the band manager Bob Roth, sitting on the couch watching Nino spin and create music everyone enjoyed. She watched him put down a glass of wine to pull out his cellphone. Was he interested in Nino? Alya made a mental note to let Nino know Bob Roth was watching him.

The reporter continued to scan the room. Over on the Balcony XY, the musician was trying rather hardtop swoon one of the models holding some bacon wrapped scallions. The model was polite. She giggled and flirted back. That would certainly boost the less than great musician, who had not released an album in four years. Alya chuckled to herself; lost in thought thinking about how pathetic XY looked when Jagged Stone had been Akumatized.

Alya winced at a touch to her shoulder. "Alya? Is that you?"

She turned her head to see a tall, blonde, muscular, green eyed Adrien Agreste standing next to her.

"Adrien!" She wrapped her arms around him. "It's great to see you!"

The model smiled. "It's great to see you too! When did you get back?"

"I arrived earlier this week. OMG! I am so glad to actually find someone to talk to!"

"Oh, did you come alone?"

"Yeah, it' kind of work related. How are you? I haven't really talked to you since you took over the Gabriel brand." Her pupils dilated with fear. This was not the right kind of small talk the reporter should have started.

Adrien saw begin to recoil. He placed his hand back on her shoulder to calm her. "I'm doing alright. It was really hard at first." He sighed. "It was hard to separate my emotions from the business, but its fine now. It's actually really nice to be in charge of my own schedule for the first time."

"I'm sorry about your dad. I'm really grateful you were so understanding of me posting the reveal."

"It was a good scoop," he nodded. "Besides, it was really nice of you to call me to inform me before you posted it."

"I could only image how hard that would have been to deal with."

"I'm used to disappointment, to be honest." Adrien flashed a model smile at her. "Enough about me and sad stuff. Tell me about you, and London, and you said you are here for work?"

The reporter laughed. "I will answer in order. I'm doing fine. London was great. It is nice to be back in Paris. I actually caught up with Nino, Nathaniel, and Marinette when I first arrived. I actually saw Marinette about this dress." She points down.

"She always made such amazing clothes." Adrien reached a hand out. "May I touch the fabric?"

"Such a gentleman, Agreste." The brunette winked. "Sure. Do your weird design, clothes thing. Marinette would do the same thing."

The blonde rubbed the silk fabric with his finger. "She is so talented. Does she want a job?"

"You should ask her," Alya insisted. "I was actually planning on getting a hold of you. I would love if you, me, Nino, and Marinette could spend some time together while I am out her."

"Would she want to? I haven't heard from her since high school, and I know a lot of class is broken apart as well." He turned his head to the group of milling party guests. "I heard Marinette didn't really handle the trial too well, either. I don't want to bring her more trouble with that since my father was, well, you know… the true cause of everyone's problems."

"Adrien, she would love to see you. Honestly, spending time with you was all Mari wanted to do in school any way."

"Really?" A soft smile filled his lips. "Then, yeah let's plan something."

"Awesome! Let me get your phone number so I can call you and give you all the deets." The two exchanged phones, quickly typing in numbers and adding contacts to their phones.

Adrien finished first. He handed Alya back her phone when he saw she had saved herself. "How was Marinette after the trial?"

"I honestly don't know," Alya said placing her phone back into her clutch. "I didn't even hear about it until a few days ago. However it seems everyone else knew about it, and no one bothered to keep me in the loop."

"You can probably blame that one me." Adrien frowned. "When my dad was arrested I had to do some serious reputation repair to keep the Gabriel fashion line afloat. When i heard about the trial, I had to take action. I paid a few media specialists to do whatever it took to keep any word of the trial from slipping out. Unless you knew someone personally involved, it would be pretty difficult to track down record of that trial even happening."

"That still didn't keep anyone involved from calling me," she huffed.

Tension began to fill between them. Adrien began to sway. "So tell me Alya, what kind of work has you attend such a fancy shindig like this?"

The reporter crossed her arms and leaned against the banister. "It's actually kind of personal."

"Personal?"

"Yeah. I have a friend I have known for a long time. We didn't stay too in touch in college, but when I graduated he contacted me. He wants me to look for someone here. I'm actually looking for that person. That's my whole role. Find the girl and bring her back home to the knight in shining armor."

"If this is personal, do you know who this person is too?"

"He thinks I might. I don't know for sure. What I do know is that I need to find her. He's done a lot for me. This is the very least I can do. I care about him, and I worry that without his lady with him, he may go down a dark path. I don't want to see him fall. I'm willing to do whatever it takes for him"

Alya eyes met with Adrien's. She noticed a small bubble forming in the crease of his eyes. His green eyes glossed over. "Adrien, are you alright?"

The girl felt sudden jolt before being able to process that the model had wrapped her in an embrace. "Thank you Alya. I didn't know you cared that much."

"Adrien? It's okay. I care about all my friends."

"I didn't know you cared that much about me."

The realization hit Alya like a ton of bricks. "Adrien, are you Chat Noir?"


	5. Chapter 5

Note: OMG! Thank you all for the comments and the support! I can not believe that this many people are interested in something I am writing. You all motivate me to write more and fast. Thank you for all the Reviews! I try to respond to everyone as quickly as possible. I Think you are all wonderful people and I hope you enjoy the story. Please continue to comment below. What do you think is going to do you all think of the end of this. How many feels did you have while reading this!

Chapter 5

"I didn't know you cared that much about me."

Alya didn't expect to have picked up on such a subtle hint. Adrien's words echoed through her head. Her heart began to pound as if she had started to sprint. Memories began to buzz through her head, and tiny details began to line up; blonde hair, acid green eyes, athletic build, and that depressing look of desperation.

"Adrien, are you Chat Noir?"

"Yes" the blonde breathed into the brunette's hair.

Alya froze in place. She could not believe what she had heard and realized. This whole time chat in the water had been Adrien Agreste, supermodel extraordinaire. He had been in her class sitting only a few feet from the reporter the entire time. She wanted to scream, but a chilling sensation kept her from doing so.

She was in a very public place. She and her friend, who had just confessed he was the superhero that had hired her in the first place, were in a very public area. Very wrong place to reveal one's true identity.

Adrien began to shake. Alya knew she had to do something. Her personal self was not the right person for the scenario, nor was the reporter side that she constantly kept of float. A memory flashed through her head. The time one of her younger sister's fell while they were at a playground. Alya's parents were at work, and had left her in charge of the twins. As the oldest of three, she was in charge in all scenarios. This included when one of the young girls fell off the monkey bars and dislocated her shoulder. Both girls had begun to panic, but the older sibling had taken charge. She kept both girls calm as she called for an ambulance and their mother. Alya knew at that moment she needed to be the parent in this scenario. Feeling Adrien's trembles sparked the same emotional response she had when her sister fell. Alya took a deep breath and put on her stern mother persona.

"Adrien pull yourself together." Her tone was stern. She pushed the young man away from her. "We are at a party loaded with people. You will not lose your composure here and now. Do I make myself clear?"

He stood up straight and wiped his eyes dry. "Yo- you're right," his voice was shaking.

"Listen to me Agreste," she said grabbing his chin and tilting her eyes to look directly into her own. "You are going to put on a smile. You are going to stay calm. And you are going to act cool." He nodded his head in agreement. Alya's hand remained on his chin. "You and I are going to walk down these stairs happy, and calm. We are going to walk out into the hallway to towards the elevator. You will remain calm and composed that whole time until we are in my apartment, both sitting on the couch. Is that clear?"

"Yes,"

"Then stand up straight and let's go."

Adrien checked his posture, and Alya locked her arm with his. They both smiled at each other and began to walk down the stairs. Each step was longer and work he was wrong then I had been traveling up the staircase previously. She could feel the model trembling and Tim towards the rail. He obliged and grabbed on to the Golden railing as they slowly made their way down. She could feel him back-and-forth between her and his. She only hope that he could not feel her pussy at the same strain or level.

When the pair reach the final step of the long staircase, the model let out a scattered sigh. Alya was quick to tighten her grip and stop the escaping air from his mouth.

"Not yet," she reminded sternly. Their eyes met. She watched him take a breath in, and it filled his eyes with a glossy coding.

They needed to move faster, she thought. She nudged him to move along told him through the giant oak door that led to this night's exciting beginning. Though the hallway was long they made it to the elevator in record time. The reporter to have a tight grasp on the blonde. This was proven needed when he began to shake when the elevator doors closed.

"Not yet. Remember what I told you."

He drew another shaky breath and repositioned himself shifting his weight left and right. The elevator ride continue to slowly downward. Every floor button day dinged as the pair hopped down the floor by floor until reaching the third floor. The doors open and the duo exited out into an empty hallway. They practically ran to the apartment door. Alya reaching into her bag for her keys.

"Remember, I said you had to make it to the couch." She glanced up from her clutch with her keys in hand. A lone tear traced the curves of Adrien's face. Alya quickly shoved the key in the door and opened it. Adrien walked passed her as she pulled the key out of the door and quickly slammed it shut.

Both of Alya's hand were pressed against the door. Mom mode had shut off. Alya did not have to worry about other people entering the apartment. She kept her eyes shut tight, to try and fight the tears away. This was too much. Why Adrien? Why did that poor guy have to be Chat Noir? Could this guy not catch a break? She took a breath, kicked off her shoes, and locked the hatch on the door.

Alya turned around to see Adrien curled up in a ball against the pillar between the kitchen and living area. Slows tears escaped her brown eyes as she walked over. How much pain was he in? She sat down beside him. She rested her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm… sorry… I didn't… make it… to the couch." Sniffles interrupted his sentences.

"That's alright." She stroked Adrien's shoulder. "I can't believe it's you." She began to cry with her friend. She pulled him into a hug, and shaky arms welcomed the connection.

Alya felt someone what guilty for crying. She wasn't crying because she was upset that her friend had been one of the crime fighting heroes that she had longed to identify. In a way she felt some relief knowing that Adrien and Chat Noir were the same person. She no longer had to split her concerns amongst two friend. She did get to combine her worries for both friends at one though, and the overpowering feeling of two different people's problems merging into one was too great. Plus, seeing Adrien cry was the saddest, and most depressing things she had personally ever witnessed.

Tears filled the apartment for almost half an hour. Alya had stopped crying after ten minutes. Adrien had years of repressed tears to set free. Like a good friend, Alya sat and waited. She stroked his arm. Petted his hair, repeated cliché comforting phrases in his ears. He eventually ran out of tears to cry.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way." he finally spoke.

"It's fine. Did you plan on revealing yourself to me, tonight?" She had to ask. She wanted to know if this was all part of her work for Chat Noir, or if she had broken down a barrier with Adrien.

"It was not my intention. It's just, you said such kind things. I didn't think we had a friendship for that kind of level."

"You've needed someone to talk to for a long time, Adrien." A small squeaky voice called out. A flash of black and green shot out of Adrien. A tiny black cat with green eyes appeared floating in front of the models face.

"Isn't' that what I have you for, Plagg?" Adrien said. The ghost of a grin resting on his face.

Alya stared at the black floating cat. "What.. Or who is that?"

Adrien flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry Alya. This is Plagg. He's my Kwami and the reason I can turn into Chat Noir."

Plagg flew over to Alya's face. "Nice to meet you." He stuck out his paw to shake.

Alya pinched his paw between thumb and index finger and lightly shook Plaggs hand. "Nice to meet you too, Plagg."

The black fairy god smiled. "Now that formalities are out of the way, can I have some Camembert please?"

Alya blinked. "Knock yourself out. There are like three wheels in the fridge for some reason."

"Oh boy!" The black cat flew straight through the refrigerator. Within seconds loud chewing noises came from the inside.

"I put the cheese there," Adrien shared. "This apartment is kind of my home away from home. I come here whenever I throw a party, or whenever I just want to not be surrounded by people telling me what needs to be done."

"So I am staying in your home away from home?" Alya asked innocently.

"Kind of. Nothing has really ever felt like home since my mother disappeared. The only thing that ever came close was, well… Ladybug."

Alya could understand Chat Noir's need for his partner. Adrien had lost his mother. He lost his father both emotionally, and physically when he was revealed to be Hawkmoth. Then he lost the person he could always count on. He had nowhere and no one to turn to. He must have been keeping all these feelings bottled up for the last three years.

"Does anyone else know who you are?" the reporter asked hesitantly.

"No. You are the first person to find out."

"Well, I'm happy to be your first." She smiled hinting at a joke.

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"There we go. There is the friend I know. I don't mean to be making assumptions, but I am going to assume that you have been holding back a lot more than just your identity for the past three years. I want to discuss them with you. However I think right now you need to take some time to chill. I'm assuming that other room is where you usually stay. I think you should go shower, clean up, and come back out here when you feel ready to answer some questions. If I am going to find Ladybug I am going to need details. That means I may pry. I need you in a state of mind where you can tell me if we are going too far or not. So go shower. I have some sweats you can borrow, and I know I have a t least one of Nino's shirts I kept from when we were dating..."

"I already keep some spare cloth here," Adrien interrupted. "Though, I am curious as to why you have hung onto Nino's clothes for so long."

Alya's face flushed. "We both need to go get cleaned up, then we can share our most personal secrets."

A genuine smiled crept across Adrien's face. "Thank you, Alya. I'm really lucky to have a friend like you." The model got to his feet and helped his friend rise as well.

"Don't sweat it. Besides you have done plenty of things for me. Go get cleaned up. I'm going to shower as well. I will meet you out here, but don't feel obligated to be quick. If you want to just go to bed too, just let me know. I will be out here when you are ready." He nodded and, alya watched him disappear behind the bedroom door.

_oOo_

Alya had expected to be cleaned up before Adrien. She honestly expected Adrien to remain inside his room and to not emerge until morning. Along with showering and changing into her pajamas, Alya brought out to the couch a blanket, pillow, and her computer. She had promised Adrien she would be out here when he wanted talk. So she was prepared to spend her night out in the living area,

The now relaxed Alya, curled up on the couch and made herself comfortable. She flipped open her laptop and went to the Ladyblog hoping someone would have responded with sighting.

There were no sightings of Ladybug posted.

The reporter sighed. She wondered if anyone was still looking at the ancient blog. Three years on the internet with no new content made her blog more of an artifact than a source of super hero news. She closed her laptop and placed it on the floor.

"Hey, Ali… Ayla… whatever your name is." A squeaky voice came from the kitchen. "Come here." Plagg sat on the black counter in the kitchen holding a piece of camembert cheese.

Alya stood up and looked towards the kitchen. With all the black in the apartment, the only way Alya was able to find the small kwami was by the green of his eyes. When she spotted the small creature, she moved over to the counter. "It's Alya. What's up Plagg?"

"I need to know if you think you are going to be able to find Ladybug." His tiny paws folded and he floated up to her eyes.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to find her."

"But do you think you can." Plagg questioned again.

"If you're asking if I think it is still possible to find Ladybug, than yes. I cannot say yes or no, because I don't know. I'm not going to lie."

"Good. I need to make sure that you are not going to lead him on. This kid has been through way too much."

Alya's eyes glossed over with concern. "How is he doing, Plagg? How is he mentally?"

The cat's ears lowered. "He's not ok. He is stressed, and feels abandoned. I've worked with stray cats before, but this one may be the saddest one I have had to work with. I'm glad to know that someone aside from me cares for my kitten."

"It's not fair what happened to Adrien. I am going to help him."

"I know you are. This is why I am going to let you in on a few kwami secrets. I am only going to say this once. You may never repeat this to anyone, including Adrien. . I am only supposed to share this with my Miraculous wielder, but I can't lose this kitten in this way, so I will be rebelling by what I tell you. "

Alya nodded her head. "I won't tell a soul."

"Alright. As a kwami, I grant powers. The power I grant Chat Noir's is the power of destruction. Chat Noir is whoever is the wielder of the Miraculous, ring. This ring is only half a great power. The other half of this power is the Ladybug Miraculous, a pair of earrings. When combined these two miraculous create the ultimate power. This means that I am only half of my full possible power. I can sense ladybugs kwami. I cannot tell you exact distances, but I know when they are near and far. Right now, I know she is not too far away and that she is in that direction." His tiny paw pointed towards the Eiffel tower.

"So you are saying she is still hear in Paris?" Alya asked with hushed excitement.

"I believe so. Knowing that do you think you can find Ladybug, now?"

"To you, I say a yes."

"Good. Don't give Adrien that answer. Just in case things don't end well, I don't want him too hopeful." Plagg hung his head. "I just can't have another kitten sink that low."

The reporter understood. "I'm going to be realistic with him. Speaking of realistic would, you be able to check and see if he is coming out of his room soon?"

"I can go check." The kwami sped through the wall and zoomed straight into Adrien's room. Once that cat had left, Alya walked back to the couch to sit down. She closed her eyes. She would open them when she heard the door open.

_oOo_

Alya felt the weight of the couch shift. She opened her eyes to see Chat Noir sitting at her feet. He was fidgety. His hands looking for a place to rest. They started clasped together, then one on each thigh, each hand went free form for a moment, and finally the joined and stayed center in his lap.

"Hi Chat Noir," she said sitting up.

"Hi," he responded.

"Are you, ready to talk?" Alya looked at her phone screen to check the time; two in the morning.

Chat noir nodded his head.

"Any reason you are Chat Noir instead of Adrien?"

"It's easier. As Adrien, I don't really know how to talk about any of this."

Alya put her reporter hat on. Sometimes getting good information was less about formal questioning and more about how to lead a conversation. It was clear Adrien was uncomfortable. He was emotional, and had to keep all his concerns locked away for years. Alya had had practice with working with people like this as a reporter. Trauma victims, children, and even the mentally unstable were a few people that needed to have conversations easier to gather information.

She kept a serious, but comforting look on her face. "I could only imagine how hard it was for Adrien to have to hide so much personal turmoil while having to run a company."

Chat Noir leaned back on the couch. "Yeah. Adrien didn't even want the company."

"They company is doing well though." Alya tried to add in a positive.

Chat smirked. "Yeah. When you are forced into working for an industry, you learn that you are good at faking what you like to just do something right."

"Can I ask you something a bit more personal?"

"Alright."

"Do you blame Gabriel for throwing you into the industry?"

"I blame my dad for a lot of things." Chat Noir's lips pierced. "He's the reason my mom left. He's the reason I am in the fashion industry." Chat Noir stood up, fists clenched. "He's the reason I work have to work over sixty hours a week. He's the reason almost every friend of mine hates each other. He's the reason I can't contact anyone without picking a side. And…" he began to walk towards the windows, "he is the reason I lost my lady."

Chat Noir pushed open a window panel. "I'm sorry, Alya. I can't talk any more about this."

"Wait! Adrien before you go. I need you to do tell me one more thing." The hero's black ears turned towards the reporter before his head followed. Small tears were folding in the corners of his mask.

"I promise you I am going to do everything in my power to find LB, but I need to know everything you know about her in order to do so. i know I wasn't there for everything, so I don't know everything I need to ask. I do know one thing I don't know. What did she say to you before she left you after Hawkmoths arrest?

The acid green eyes stared straight at Alya. The tears in the corners of his eyes had frozen, and the look he gave her stung with disappointment. "She said: Adrien could never forgive me for today."

The cat grabbed his baton from his back, and jumped out of the window; leaving a slightly stunned Alya staring out the open window. She knew Adrien. No wonder he assumed Ladybug must know who she was as well. That was a lot of information.

Alya reached down to grab her laptop from the floor. She opened it up, and froze. She had left her tab for her Ladyblog page up. There was a response to her recent post. The poorly typed message sent shivers down Alya's spine. Tonight was now becoming too much for her.

"i m her" and a ladybug emoji ended the response.


	6. Chapter 6

Hi Guys. Ok this is the first time I have ever struggled with the format on the Doc manager, but OMG It kept changing this story to like 3 different fonts and I couldn't handle it, so I am trying to upload a document to see if this works.

I want to thank everyone who has commented, reviewed and provided amazing feedback. I love and appreciate all the love and support in all forms. Please keep commenting so I can continue to grow.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I cannot lie I am super excited to write chapter 7. It has the two scenes I am most excited and anticipate the most. So please stay tuned for chapter 7. Enjoy chapter 6 and let me know what you think.

Chapter 6

Alya had been overloaded. First, she figured out Adrien was Chat Noir. Then, she managed to coax Adrien to tell her what Ladybug last said to her. Finally, she had received some sort of response to the post she made on the Ladyblog.

 _ **"i m her" ladybug emoji.**_

Alya couldn't continue that night. She left her laptop open and went to bed. Sleep was the only guaranteed thing Alya knew she could do right now. Tomorrow she would have to make sense of everything.

The next day Alya awoke to her phone buzzing. She reached for her glasses before she answered the call. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Nino."

"Morning Nino. How's it going?"

"More like afternoon dude, but I'm doing well."

"Afternoon?" Alya looked at the time on her phone. One in the afternoon. "Well, you can tell I went to bed late."

He laughed. "Yeah, I was exhausted after the party last night too. I didn't see you at all last night."

"Everyone saw you! There were screen of you everywhere. Including Jagged Stone's producer, Bob Roth." Alya heard the gasp.

"Bob Roth watched me?"

"Yeah!"

"Dude! That's incredible! Who else was there?"

"There were a few others, If we meetup I can tell you. It might be better if you came over here. I actually need your help."

"Yeah sure. Help with what?"

"I'll tell you when you get here, partner." Alya could feel the DJ smirk.

"OK, I'll be over in a half hour."

"Sounds good. Guess that means I should get dressed. See you soon." Alya hung up the phone.

She rushed into the bathroom to get a quick shower. She would need to be quick if she wanted to look decent for Nina. A record five minute shower allowed the reporter time to quickly dry her hair and then curl it. She grabbed a pair of comfy, form fitting jeans and paired them with a button up, V-neck blouse. She finished up by applying some foundation and mascara. Satisfied with her look, Alya walked out of her room and sat on the couch five minutes to spare.

Nino knocked at her door about five minutes late. Alya opened the apartment door and welcomed him in with a hug. He hugged her back, pulling her closer to his body. Alya could his heart race with the hug. She smiled, and let herself lean into his body for a moment before breaking the embrace and shutting the door.

"It's nice to see you not being mobbed by a thousand party goers."

"Yeah that was a crazy crowd! I thought I would have had some time to break away, but I was up their mixing the whole party!"

"Oh wow! How long did that go until?"

"I think the party need at around 5 this morning."

Alya's mouth dropped open. "Did you sleep at all?"

Nino laughed. "Yeah I made it back to my parents at about six in the morning. I slept until one, got up, ate, and then called you."

"Wow, you called me after eating? How did I move so high up the priority list?"

The DJ slipped an arm around her shoulder as the two walked towards the couch to sit down. "I can't leave my partner hanging. Besides, I hoped you found something at the party to help Chat Noir."

"I actually ran into Adrien at the party." Alya paused. Should she tell Nino that she found out who Chat Noir was? It wouldn't hurt for Nino to keep an eye on Adrien. However, could Nino hold in such a secret? The reporter knew difficult learning this information had been for her. In fact it hadn't even been a day since she had learned Chat Noir and Adrien were the same person. She could share this information. Not until she had fully digested the consequences of knowing.

She thought back to the conversation she had with the cat kwami.

" _So you are saying she is still hear in Paris?"_ Alya had asked.

" _I believe so."_ Plagg had responded. That was such good news to here. She had wanted to cheer with excitement that this was not a hopeless case. She had feared possibly never finding Ladybug; that she had gone completely off the grid. Or even if she did find out who the masked heroin was, she wouldn't be able to find her in person for a variety of reasons.

Her optimistic thoughts had been paused from what else the kwami had to say. " _Don't give Adrien that answer. Just in case things don't end well, I don't want him too hopeful. I just can't have another kitten sink that low."_

Adrien, her friend, was in a very vulnerable state. The kwami had warned the reporter that her friend could not take in any room for possible failure. She had to control what Adrien heard. Therefore she had to control who knew what information. Right now less was best. Nino could not now that Adrien was Chat Noir. Adrien would need to tell Nino himself when he was ready.

"Oh man! Adrien was there? How did he get time off from work?" Nino ran his hands under his hat. "Now I'm kind of bummed that I couldn't get away at all. I've been trying to get a hold of him all week. What did he say?"

"We actually talked about you, me, him, and Marinette getting together sometime soon. He actually seemed kind of sad, so I think we should all get together sooner than later."

"We'll have to work some sort of magic to get that to work. The guy works like Sixty to seventy hours a week! And I have no clue if Marinette can get away from the studio."

"Well," Alya smiled, "I may have gone to Marinette before the party and brought up the idea of the four of us getting together." A cheeky smile crossed her face. "I needed a dress, and when we got to talking the idea came up."

"Sweet! Well then I know you can convince Marinette to meet up again, but what about Adrien?"

"He seemed really excited when I brought it up. I think I can convince him, but we may have to do an evening thing. He seems more available then. You and I just need to plan a time and get the two in the same place."

Nino smiled. "This actually seems possible. When do you think we should do this?"

"Sometime next week. I may even suggest Monday. I think Adrien needs to hang out with more people. He told me he hadn't really heard from many people since the trial."

"Well the whole class kind of fell apart, though I am not surprised that no one has reached out to him. How are you supposed to start a conversation? I feel awkward even asking him how he is doing. There is no way he has no problems, but I know there is no way I could relate or even help. So I can see why no one has really talked to him."

"I think I can get him out of the office," Alya flipped her hair with her hand, "I have a better touch at being forceful and dragging someone out."

Nino nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is kind of hard to stop you, when you want something. I think I could get Marinette to take the time to get away for an evening. Then she can work during the day and have an evening of."

"Alright," Alya whipped out her phone, "I will text each of them to let them know the plan. You and I will figure out where we are going, but our goal is to get those two out and interacting public."

The text message read: _Monday, 6pm the four of us are having dinner. No exceptions! Be ready Nino or I will pick you up! :D_

Pleased with her work, she showed Nino her text to each of their friends as she pressed send. Nino placed his arm around her. "Nice job, babe."

Alya felt her face warm. Blood rushed to her cheeks. She felt Nino's arm stiffen, and his hand turn into a fist. She looked to him to see a deep blush growing under his glasses. He opened his eyes and removed his arm from the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Its fine," Alya replied a little rushed.

"I made it weird. It's just so nice to see you. It feels so comfortable."

"I know what you mean. And we just made a date with Marinette and Adrien."

"Date?"

"I mean plans… plans with Marinette and Adrien."

"Alya, would you like it to be a date?"

Her blush spread down her neck. How could he have been that smooth? She couldn't think long, she just needed to answer, to not make the conversation more awkward.

"I wouldn't mind a date. I mean, I don't get dressed up for anyone."

He smiled. "And here I was thinking I had put you high up on my priority list with calling you after eating? So it's a date?"

The brunette laughed. "It's a date."

"You might want to add that in your text to Marinette. I think that will motivate her to make sure she has that day off."

Alya lightly punched his arm. "Scheming and coordinating a date at the same time. You are such a romantic."

"I do what I can," the DJ said rubbing his shoulder. "I find a place and tell you Sunday night."

"Perfect."

"So, was planning an impromptu date the thing you needed help with?"

"No, that is just a bonus assistant from and excellent partner. What I called you here to help me with is the," Alya picked up her laptop from the ground and opened it. The Ladyblog front page popped up.

Nino gasped. "Dude, you still have the Ladyblog? I remember when I helped you set it up!"

"Exactly why you are the one to help me. Look at this post I made."

Nino read the post and response. His eyes widened when he saw the reply. "Woah."

"Right!"

"This could totally be a troll."

"Absolutely."

"How do I figure out if it is not a troll?"

Nino thought for a few minutes. "You will have to talk to this..." He looked at the user name, "Bug1 and ask them questions."

Alya looked skeptical towards his suggestion. "I'm not going to have an open conversation with a possible troll on my blog for everyone to see.

"I'm not suggesting you talk to them on the wall of your forum."

"Then what are you suggesting?"

"I could update the code and add a private messaging and monitor section."

"Nino, that's a great idea! Are you sure you can do that?"

He waved his hand. "Psha, piece of cake. I did that on the band's website so we could keep inappropriate comments to a minimum. It would only take me an hour tops."

Aly wrapped her arms around her friend. "I knew you'd be able to help!"

He smiled and hugged her back as a light shade of pink crossed his face. "Anything to help. Let me sit here for like an hour with your laptop."

Alya placed the laptop on his lap. "Done! Anything else I can do, besides stay out of the way?"

"Can you make some lunch?" A cheesy grin crossed his face.

Alya rolled her eyes. "I will make something." Alya made her way to the kitchen shaking her head.

_oOo_

An hour and a half later, Alya had made chicken cordon bleu with some simple baked potatoes, and Nino had set up a private messaging system on the Ladyblog. Together the two rested on the couch; Nino propped up by an armrest with his arms folded behind his head while Alya leaning against his chest. Both had their legs stretched out. The laptop rested on Alya's lap. The two were staring at the screen. A blank compose message to the correspondent 'bug1' staring back at them.

"What do even write?" Alya asked. The thought of this possible conversation being a complete waste of time. Was this comment really going to be that useful of a lead?

"Well you have to start the conversation first." Nino answered.

"I don't 'hi how are you?' is going to exactly work."

"No, but you do have to explain what you are doing. If they don't respond in a few days, they are a troll. Don't sweat it." He moved one of his hands to the top of her head. He twirled a strand of hair around his finger. "If they do respond start asking some personal questions about Ladybug that only you would know?"

Alya strummed her fingers against the keyboard. The backspace button leading the chorus on the screen. Finally her fingers stopped moving. "What do you think?" The reporter held the laptop up for DJ to read. He removed his hand from her head and grabbed the base of the laptop to bring it closer to his face.

The message read:

 _Hello Bug1,_

 _If you are Ladybug, I'm going to need more proof than an emoji and your words. I am doing a serious search. If you are the hero I really would like to talk to you. But I need to ask you a few things before you respond. Answer these three questions._

 _Where would you and Chat Noir always start patrol?_

 _What is your favorite color?_

 _What was the last thing you said to Chat Noir?_

 _Answer these correctly and I will know you are really her._

 _-A_

Nino handed the Laptop back to Alya. "Do you know the answer to all of those questions?"

"I do." She placed the Laptop in her lap. "I had a talk with Chat Noir last night. I asked him what she said to him. I still haven't really wrapped my head around it yet, but If this Bug1 is Ladybug, she will know it. The other two things can be found in videos I have posted on the blog. If they get two of three right, they are a troll. I really only care about that third question because there are only two people who know the answer; myself and Chat Noir."

"Do I get to know the answer?" Nino asked playfully.

"If this Bug1 answers correctly, then yes."

"Fingers crossed Bug1," he crossed his fingers.

"Do you want to watch some videos while we wait?" Alya suggested.

"Pull up YouTube. I have a few videos to pass some time."

Hours passed. The two bonded by watching music videos, funny clips, and audition videos for singing competition videos. Between clips, Alya periodically looked at the Ladyblog waiting for a response. Each time she checked nothing showed up. Looking at the time Nino decided he needed to go home for dinner. He had promised his mother he would eat with his family that night. He offered Alya if she wanted to come with him, but she refused.

"I'm glued to my work. I will sit here all night waiting for a response."

"Alright, don't work too hard," Nino laughed. "I will text you later to check in. I will also text you with where we are going on Monday."

Alya walked Nino to the door. "Don't go too wild. Remember we are bringing friends along. We can't scare them off."

Nino laughed and walked out. Alya locked the door. She flipped over to the Ladyblog checking her inbox before she figured out what she wanted to eat. Her jaw dropped when she saw the number one next to the message icon. The reporter took a deep breath and clicked on the number one.

The response read:

 _Hi,_

 _Do u belive me? Ladybug emoji_

 _Where would you and Chat Noir always start patrol?_ _ **eiffel tower**_

 _What is your favorite color?_ _ **pink**_

 _What was the last thing you said to Chat Noir?_ _ **adrien could never forgive me**_


	7. Chapter 7

Hello! Than you all for the amazing comments! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Longest one so far! 4,500 words about, and 13 pages! I hope this was worth the wait. Thank you all again. Please leave comments, predictions, hopes, dreams, critiques, and any other thing you would want to share in a review or comment. I don't know how to explain how nice you all are. Thank you. Traditional Twist

Chapter 7

Alya was ready to scream. She had left the screen for no more than two minutes and she had received confirmation. This was unbelievable. The reporter wanted to run down the hallway and drag Nino back into the room to show him what had happened, but then she remembered the response time; two minutes.

If the reporter hurried she realized she may be able to catch Bug1 while they were still online. She furiously typed away at her keyboard, pressing enter with a lightning speed.

 _Hey Bug1,_

 _If you are really the one and only Ladybug, how are miraculous powered?"_

 _-A_

This was another question that she was certain only three people knew the answer to; herself, Chat Noir, and Ladybug. Alya stared at the computer screen for eight minutes. She refreshed the screen every minute.

 _Kwami_

That was the response. Alya had found Ladybug...sort of. Now she needed to keep Ladybug talking.

 _Ladybug! I can't believe it is you! Where have you been? Everyone misses you._

Alya waited. Six minutes later there was a response.

 _ **Bug1**_ : _I don't think everyone misses me. I think everyone is mad at me._

Alya frowned.

 _ **Alya**_ _: Why? You saved Paris from so many evils._

 _ **Bug1**_ _: i no_

 _ **Alya**_ _: So why would they hate you?_

 _ **Bug1**_ _: Idk_

 _ **Alya**_ _: You're not making any sense. Can we meet? I will meet you somewhere private. I will climb the Eiffel tower if I need to._

 _ **Bug1**_ _: I can't. I can't leave._

 _ **Alya**_ _: Why? You are Ladybug. You can leave._

 _ **Bug1**_ _: It's not that easy_

 _ **Alya**_ _: I don't understand_

 _ **Bug1**_ _: I can't explain. I'm already breaking a lot of rules._

 _ **Alya**_ _: What rules? Who makes rules for Ladybug?_

 _ **Bug1**_ _: I can't say any more. I trust You Alya. I know you can find Ladybug._

 _ **Alya**_ _: But aren't you Ladybug_

 _ **Bug1**_ _: Yes and No_

 _ **Alya**_ _: How can you be yes and no? You either are or you are not._

 _ **Bug1**_ _: You will see Ladybug soon. You just don't know who she is. I know you will find Ladybug soon. She's not well. I wish I could tell you. I have to go now._

 _ **Alya**_ _: Wait! Don't leave yet. I don't understand._

The reporter's response was what was left on the screen. She stared at the time on the computer. It was now half past nine. She had stared at the screen for two hours hoping for one last response. There had been nothing, and Alya was now blending together the emotions of excitement and disappointment into a form of anxiety.

She mulled over the conversation she had just had. Why would Bug1 refer to Ladybug in the third person? What had happened to Ladybug? Why was she so afraid? Whose rules was she following that were keeping her from leaving? Alya closed her laptop and went to bed, hoping she would receive some sort of response that night.

_oOo_

Alya spent Sunday in solitude. The only form of contact she managed to have with the outside world was a text from Nino with the time and location of their dinner date with Marinette and Adrien. The rest of the day was spent researching al past Akumatized victims, and their current occupations.

Alya's goal was to help cross out who could not be Ladybug. It was clear to her not that Chat Noir… Adrien… her blonde friend, had a solid hunch saying that Ladybug knew her. Ladybug clearly knew Adrien. On Monday morning she stumbled upon some old footage of herself waiving a ninth grade history textbook in her arms. Ladybug had dropped it, but throughout the day and the attack by an Akuma the reporter had lost it. That was a larger clue than she had realized.

Alya now knew she would need to track every tenth grade student from her old school down in her history. One by one she began to cross them off her list of possibilities; Nathaniel no, Chloe no. Her list began to grow quite small, and her time limited for the day. She needed to go to Adrien's office to make sure he would come out tonight. The blonde had texted he the address that morning and asked her to arrive early to "drag him away from work" that he could see himself getting lost into. Adrien was expecting her at five that night. Alya wanted to have some more time to talk, so she arrived at four.

A taxi cab dropped the reporter outside of a large office building at four fifteen. She walked into the building's main floor. The secretary at the front gave her a puzzled look. Alya watched her eyes recoil as the woman looked at Alya up and down. Her cuffed skinny jeans and loose plaid shirt didn't impress the secretary, clearly. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm here to see Adrien Agreste. I am early. I was supposed to be here at five."

"Name?"

"Alya Cesaire."

The woman ran one finger down a computer monitor while her other hand quickly strummed her finger against a computer mouse. Her long white tipped nails tapped on her screen. "One moment please." She picked up the desk phone and dialed. "Mr. Agreste, there is an Alya Cesaire here to see you." Alya folded her arms impatiently. "Yes sir. Yes. She said she was to meet you at five. I see. Should I send her away… are you sure? Of course sir."

She hung up the phone. "Mr. Agreste would like to apologize, but he will need you to wait in room 318. Please take the elevator up, turn left and it is your first door on the right."

"Thank you." Alya nodded at the woman and headed towards the elevator. She entered the small space, pressed the three button and followed the instructions to the room.

When Alya arrived to the room she was surprised to the room filled with young women. All tall, skinny, and perfectly polished; the reporter could help to feel a moment of slight self-consciousness. She sat in an empty chair on the opposite side of the room and took her phone out.

"You can't be serious?" A vulgar tone shot from across the room.

Alya looked up. A girl with dark hair, hazel eyes, olive skin and a rather slender physique. The hazel eyes were glaring at the reporter. Alya looked to both sides to see if anyone was staring back. She looked back to the hazel eyed girl and pointed to herself. "Me? yo are talking to me?"

"Don't act dumb," The girl laughed.

"I haven't said anything to you."

"The fact you are even in this room is an insult to me. You didn't need to say anything, your presence was enough. "

"What is your deal?"

"What is my deal? What is your deal? You think you can just walk into a casting call for the Gabriel fashion line looking like that? You have no respect for the brand. "

"Yeah," another girl with dark brown hair and eyes, "This is our passion. Some of us do this for a living. You think you can just waltz in here and try? You don't even fit the measurement standards. Just look at your hips."

"Why do you two need to comment every time someone comes in here?" A blonde from a few chairs away from Alya added in. "You two have been picking at every single girl that has walked in here. Just shut up. Your models; you don't' speak your mind."

"You did not just tell me to shut up," the olive skinned girl shouted.

Suddenly voices began shouting. At first here were three, but a roar grew from several other.

A hand grabbed Alya's arm and pulled her out from the sea of voices and to a calmer section of the room. "You don't want to be a part of that," the owner of the hand stated. Alya looked up to see a pair of chocolate colored eyes, slightly covered by thick curly black hair.

"Thanks," Alya smiled, "man, what got into them?"

"I think they are feeling anxious. We have been in here waiting for at least two hours, and not one person has been called. I've never been to a casting that took this long before, but I also have never tried for such a big label." The girl smiled nervously.

"Two hours! Why is the wait so long?"

"I have no idea."

The reporter stuck out her hand. "I'm Alya."

"Bri," the model shook Aly's hand.

"So is everyone in here a model?"

"Yes, we are auditioning for the casting call for Gabriel fall fashion show."

"A lot of people showed up, how many spots are there?"

"There are ten openings right now."

"But there has to be at least one hundred people here!"

Bri laughed. "It's kind of a big deal. For a lot of models, getting the opportunity to work under Adrien Agreste is a dream come true. He has been in the business so long and has experience doing everything."

"That kid did take his modeling seriously," Alya began to reminisce on missed group meetings because Adrien had a photo shoot.

"Why are you here? You must not be here for the fashion show if you didn't know anything about it."

"I'm an only friend of Adrien's. I thought I'd surprise him by showing up early, but perhaps I have made a mistake. He seems kind of busy."

The door opened. A woman with a black bun, red turtleneck, glasses and a pencil skirt appeared holding a clipboard. "Alya Cesaire," she called out, "Mr. Agreste will see you now." Alya stood up.

The Hazel eyed girl's mouth dropped. "Are you kidding me?"

Alya smiled and turned to her new model companion. "Guess I'm going to have to leave you here with these girls. I will try to see what's keeping him."

"Thank you," Bri waved.

Alya followed the woman with the clipboard to a small office. There was a desk, and two chairs, with lovely watercolor bird paintings on each wall. Another door with an intercom next to it was next to the desk. The woman hit the button on the intercom. "Mr. Agreste, your friend is here."

"Thank you, Nathalie," Adrien's voice responded. The sound of a lock unlatching echoed in the small space, and the door opened. Nathalie pointed to the door. Alya took the hint and opened the door.

As she entered the room the door locked again, and Alya was staring at Adrien Agreste, in a suit, staring at three different computer monitors. In front of him on a large table were different several different sticky notes all in various colors.

"Alya! I didn't expect you so early!" Adrien flashed a smile at her. "As you can see I'm not completely free, but you may have sped up the process."

"Yeah!" PLagg flew into Alya's face arms crossed. "You took all my fun today! I thought we agreed five?"

"We agreed?" Alya questioned.

"Five?" Adrien questioned. "I thought dinner was at six?"

Plagg turned to Adrien. "I told Alya to meet here at five to make sure you were out of her. I'm surprised we don't sleep her more than we do?"

"Plagg, your impersonating me?"

"You sleep here?" Alya questioned.

"I just sent her a text is all," Plagg stated. "It's not like you don't have me doing work behind other people's backs anyway?"

"Woah! Wait, Adrien Agreste doing dirty work?"

"I haven't done that bad." Adrien protested.

"Blackmail isn't the worst thing in the world, kid," Plagg commented. Alya's eyes grew wide. "You were dealt a bad hand. Honestly you beat yourself up too much. The guy was a creep and you know it."

Adrien hung his head. "I wouldn't have used that information if I hadn't learned what a horrible guy he was."

"Who?" Alya asked innocently.

"No one you need to worry about," Adrien looked back up at her. "You can however help me out with this casting call."

"How? I know nothing about modeling."

"But you know about people. You see I have spent far too much time in the fashion world as a model. Everyone wears a facade. Rarely is anyone genuine. This is something I am sick of. So I vowed to change that." He motioned to Alya to move to where she can see the monitors. "I know that a part of being a model is being stuck in a room with people you don't know. When I'm in the room everyone who has a facade uses that. I can't judge their character like that, so I want to get to know these models by watching how they act when I am not there."

"Is that why they have been waiting out there for two hours?"

Adrien nodded. "Normally I send Plagg to sneak around and pull people's hair, or mess with the temperature, but you coming in stirred up the crowd enough that I can start weeding out the girls. I'm debating between the girl you were talking to at the end and someone else. What's your opinion?"

"Who, Bri? She was really cool."

"Excellent, I'm going to go tell the group I have picked." Adrien stood and walked towards the door.

Alya stood confused. "So you aren't even going to look at their photos or how they walk?"

"Nope. I've been in this business long enough to know that you can teach anyone with a good attitude what a person with horrible attitude." Adrien walked out of the room.

Alya took Adrien's seat in front of the three monitors. Plagg joined her on the desk to watch the show. Alya saw Adrien walk out into the room. All the models went still. Looking at the faces girls who had been mocking her earlier, she could see the facade Adrien was talking about. Models who had been chewing down their equals were now poised, and smiling politely.

Alya watched as one by one, a few girls were called up to form a line front of Adrien. She grinned as Bri joined the other 9 models. Adrien grasped his hand, pointed to the door, and directed Natalie to escort the the chosen few out. The ninety other models made a loud uproar that could be heard from the office.

"I don't get why he goes out there every time," Plagg commented. "He could easily just have Natalie do exactly what he's doing."

Alya nodded. "Adrien has always been more personable." She looked down at the kwami. Her eyes darted from the black cat to an odd looking envelope. Curiosity got the best of the reporter, and she reached over and picked it up. It was still sealed, and felt rather heavy for any sort of letter. Her eyes grew big as she read the name on the return address: Gabriel Agreste.

Plagg looked at the brunette and noticed what paper she was holding. "Ahh," he cried, "don't touch that." With that he bit the girl's hand.

"Ow!" Alay cried and she dropped the envelope.

Plagg flew into Alay's face with his paw pointing at her. His eyes, though small, were menacing. "You saw nothing!" Alya nodded her head out of fear. The cat relaxed. "He needs to just have fun tonight. That's why I texted you to arrive here earlier; so he would get out of here."

"Understood," Alya agreed.

At that moment Adrien opened the door. "Alright, we are done with work. We just have to wait for all those girls to leave so we can get out of here. In the meantime, I need to change. Are you alright hanging out here for a little while?"

"Sure," Alya replied.

"Awesome! I will be right back then. Plagg, claws out!" A green light flashed before Alya's eyes. She raised her hands up to block the light from her face. The light vanished, and there stood Chat Noir in the place of her friend.

"Woah," was all Alya could respond with.

"Sorry, this is the fastest way to travel. Umm, I guess we will both get used to this. The hero placed a hand behind his head. "Just umm... cover for me if anyone comes looking. I will be back soon." He opened the window, extended his baton, and left.

Alya sighed. She took out her phone and opened up her Ladyblog to pass the time while she waited.

_oOo_

It had taken Adrien an hour to get back to Alya. It then took another twenty minutes for him and Alya to get through the garage and get on the road. Adrien was a fast, and careless driver. Alya made a mental note to ask Nino for a ride home after saying a silent prayer. He sped the entire way to the restaurant.

Alya couldn't help but sigh for relief when Adrien had parked the car. "You are not driving home!"

"Sorry," Adrien frowned, "I just didn't want to keep Nino and Marinette waiting."

"We are only five minutes late. Besides, Nino is with Marinette. I have never seen Marinette be on time for anything. If they are here before us, then it is a miracle."

"I guess you're right," He laughed. "I'm just excited. It's been awhile since I've just relaxed with friends."

"Well good! Then let's get in there."

To Alya's shock, Marinette and Nino were already inside the restaurant when she and Adrien arrived.

"How did you get her on time, babe?" Alya asked bewildered. Nino stood up to hug Alya and Adrien. "I tried to do that for years! I was just telling Adrien there was no way you beat us."

"Well, Marinette only lives a few blocks from here," Nino laughed.

"I can be on time!" Marinette muttered into Alya's hair, "and did I hear you say babe?" Alya laughed in response.

"Nice to see you, dude," Nino hugged Adrien.

"Nice to see you too, Nino." Adrien said. "Hey Marinette! It's been a while." The blonde gave the blue haired girl a light hug before taking a seat.

"N-n-nice to see you too, Adrien." Marinette stammered. "It's been a while."

"Yeah," Adrien said.

The waiter arrived and asked the table for beverages after listing off tonight's specials. He left after writing down everyone's drinks. The group began to reminisce about old times together.

The group spent the next minutes judging each other on drinks. Adrien's girl cocktail brought quite a few laughs to the group. Nino and Alya were slightly flirty, which made Adrien and Marinette question what was going on between the two.

"Can't you two just let a thing be a thing without any labels?" Nino pleaded.

"No!" Marinette and Adrien said in unison. They laughed and toasted to the unison. Alya smiled. It was nice to see those two both relaxing, let alone relaxing together.

The waiter arrived to take their order. The group settled and read off what they wanted from the menu. They listed sides, requested a round of water, and collected the menus and passed them to the waiter. The waiter thanked them and left.

An awkward silence fell on the table. Alya strummed her fingers and smiled. "Oh, neither Adrien nor I explained why we were both late. Someone," Alya elbowed Adrien, "didn't inform me that he would be doing a casting call before I arrived to his office. When you have to fight one hundred models to get out of an office building, it takes some time."

"That's a lot of models! Do you have a show coming up soon?" Marinette inquired.

"Yeah. Our fall collection will be showing in a couple weeks. Actually, if you are all available, I would love to invite you all to come to the show."

"Wow, Adrien, that's very nice of you." Alya watched as Marinette's posture changed. Her shoulders rolled forward and her. She was shocked that Marinette wouldn't be more excited. Alya knew her friend was obsessed with fashion and would watch the runway shows every year for the Gabriel line. Surely she would be more interested with the line if she personally knew who was running it?

That sounds amazing! Thanks Adrien. I'm sure we would all love to go." Alya nudged Nino.

Nino recoiled from the contact before he answered. "Yeah, thanks man. That sounds like a lot of fun! You can count me in."

"Thanks man! Thanks Alya." Adrien turned to the blue haired girl. "Do you think you would be able to come Marinette?"

Marinette blushed. "I will need to check with Nathaniel when I get the date, but I will do my best to make sure I can."

"Oh, are you dating Nathaniel?" Adrien asked.

Marinette waved her hand in disagreement. "Oh no, we are not dating. Well, um I mean we did for a very brief time, but then Nathaniel wanted to open a studio, and we moved in together. Everything got complicated. We were better partners with talent than with dating."

"Sorry to hear that," Adrien apologized.

Alya shared a side glance with Nino. It appeared that neither of them were aware of a period of Marinette and Nathaniel dating.

"It's fine, really." The pigtailed girl reassured. "It's just, it's hard when you have two artist trying to make enough money for rent on two buildings."

"Oh, well are you looking for another job?" Adrien asked innocently. Nino hit his forehead. "I actually lost a few designers. I saw the dress you made for Alya. It was really stunning! "

Marinette lost all breath as he spoke. "Tha-that's a very nice offer, Adrien. But I couldn't. I mean this is the first time I've seen you in years. An-and you haven't seen any of my work, and I don't have a degree. I couldn't be qualified."

"I could come to your studio." Adrien retorted. "That's where you are showing other designs, right?"

"You really, don't have too..." "She was interrupted.

"But I'd like to."

Alya felt a nudge under the table. She looked over to Nino to see him mouthing "say something." Alya realized that he was right. Somehow Adrien's compliment was changing the mood to a thick and tense atmosphere. The waiter arrived with the group's food. "Hey, look our food is here," the reporter interjected. Silence fell on the group only to be interrupted by soft mutters of "thank you" from each member as a plate was placed in front of them.

The group began eating. Alya and Nino took big mouthfuls, not sure of what to transition the conversation too. Adrien was eyeing Marinette. Marinette was staring at her plate, completely untouched.

Marinette pushed her chair away from the table. "I'm sorry. I can't." She stood up and ran away from the table.

Adrien looked shocked. "Marinette! Did I say something wrong?"

Alya stood up. "Marinette, wait! Nino..."

"Adrien duty. Got it. Go!"

Alya ran after her best friend. First out of the restaurant and then around the corner. The blue hair girl was fast, and managed to continue to creep away from her best friend. However, Alya had an idea of where she was going. The moment Alya turned a corner and saw the designer enter her apartment complex, she knew for sure her friend ran home to her apartment.

Alya banged on the apartment door. "Marinette let me in!"

The door unlatched, and opened. The person on the other side was not the blue haired girl, but a brown haired girl. "Are you the reason she's crying again?" The girl was annoyed.

"No, Lila. I did not make her cry. Please let me in. I need to talk to her.

Lila opened the front door completely. "You might as well come in and ruin our date too." She pointed to the couch where Nathaniel sat. A few comfy blankets were bunched up on the opposite side of the couch.

"Hey Alya," Nathaniel waved.

"Hey Nathaniel, where did Marinette go?"

"She's in her room."

Alya walked over to Marinette's door. She tried the handle but it was locked. She banged on the door. "Marinette, open this door!"

"She locked herself in. You are going to have to wait until she decides to come out if you want in," Nathaniel interjected, "She does this a lot."

"She cries like once a week," Lila complained. "I just want one date where I don't have to deal with this."

"And you guys do nothing?" Alya questioned.

"We used to try talking to her, but she needs to learn to get over whatever this is," said Lila. "Besides we can't keep letting her ruin our dates. We wanted to see a movie, so we are watching one."

"Can't you two just go to your place, Lila?" Alya asked.

"Not if we want to do anything not interrupted," Lila snarled.

Alya put her hand to her head. "Look I don't have the time or patience to deal with you two. If I pay for you guys to go to dinner and a movie, will you leave this place?"

Both heads perked up. "If you pay," Lila answered.

Alya pulled out her wad of cash Adrien had paid her. She took out a few bills and extended them to the couple. "Here take this and leave us alone for the evening."

Lila stood up and snatched the money from Alya's hands. "Guess we are going out. Let's go Nathaniel." The couple gather their things and left the apartment. The sounds of Marinette's cries were muffled by the walls, yet audible.

Alya sighed. "On to the main issue." She walked to Marinette's room and knocked on the door. "Marinette, this is you last opportunity to open the door yourself." Alya pressed her ear against the door. She heard muffled cries, but no footsteps.

Alya lifted her head away from the door. "Hard way it is." She pulled out a bobby pin from her hair. She stuck the pin in a small hole that was on the outside of her door. She heard the door unlock. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

What she thought would be a room decorated with pink and bright colored fabric all over, was instead covered with black and green. From floor to ceiling Marinette's room was covered with Chat Noir related objects. Chat Noir designs, cloths, drawings, and more filled every space available. Marinette stuck out in the center on the floor against the black and green. A red figure near Marinette floated towards Alya.

It was a red, small, and had black spots all over it. "Alya, thank goodness you're here!" The small creature said floating into the reporter's face. "She's a total wreck."

Alaya stared at the creature. It looked like something she knew; Plagg. The realization dawned upon her. She closed the door and walked over to her friend sobbing in center of her room. "It's going to be alright, Ladybug," and tears slid quietly down Alya's face as Marinette's began to bawl.


	8. Chapter 8

Hello everyone! Thank you everyone who has been reading, reviewing, and joining me on this wonderful Journey of a story. My goal with this fic was to see how much and how fast I can write. Boy am I learning what I am pushing to here. I never expected to get this many views, or comments. It is absolutely mind blowing to me.

So a bit of possible fog in the horizon. I work at a school. The end of the semester is here and this week is going to be crazy for me. I am not sure if I will be able to punch out the next chapter in about three days, which has been about my pass so far. I'm not stopping, I'm just telling you guys Chapter 9 may not come until the weekend. It is still my goal to write this story as fast and beautifully as possible.

On another note: A lot of Marinette talking in this Chapter. I actually started writing part of this chapter as a flashback, but it quickly became too long and unattainable. I refuse to split up a plot point because of length, but over 5,000 words is when I decided I needed to stop and rethink how to write the. So this is what I have for you. I was going to have more detail, but then I think it would have ended up being over 7,000 words and that is too long for me. To stay consistent. I think this will move the story forward faster. I would love your opinions though. I would love to know what has been the best part of this story so far for you all, and what you would like to see in the future. Thank you all so much, and please enjoy

Traditional Twist

Chapter 8

The reporter held her friend close to her chest. How has she not realized that Marinette was Ladybug? She had never been akumatized. She was never around when Ladybug was there. She was always tired and constantly late to class. Marinette never exercised and yet was always in really great shape. They both had blue hair pigtails. All the pieces fell together, just as they had for Adrien as Chat Noir.

Alya felt Marinette lift her head. "Tiki! You're supposed to hide!" The blue haired girl let out a desperate plea.

"I refuse to hide, and watch you fall apart," the red Kwami argued. "You need help! I trust Alya."

"I'm sorry Alya," Marinette sputtered, "I didn't mean for you to find out like this. I have always wanted to tell you, but I never could."

"It's alright," Alya cooed, "I'm not upset at all. I am however worried about you. Tiki here is right. This is not healthy."

"I'm so sorry," Marinette's voice cracked. Tears began to trickle down her face. The trio huddled together as the designer continued to cry. Alya and Tiki rested against Marinette,betting her pour out her feelings until she could not cry anymore.

After an hour, Marinette's eyes were dried up. Her face was puffy; eyes red and bloodshot. Sniffles were now just gasps of a air. The girl sat up and rubbed her hand with her eyes before looking at the two others in the room.

"I guess you now know why I was never around during an Akuma attack. I just wish I could have told you in another way."

"I was going to tell Alya anyway," Tiki interjected.

"How would you have told me?" Alya asked. "This is the first time I've ever seen you."

"I've been talking to you on the Ladyblog," the bug confessed.

"Tiki! That's not allowed! You told me so!" Marinette was shouting. Alya couldn't tell if she was more disheartened or angered

Tiki flew to Marinette's face. Her tiny palms gripped the girl's face. "I have only lost two Ladybugs at young ages. I will not lose another. I don't care what the Guardian says."

"Oh Tiki." Marinette cupped her hands against her small friend to hug her.

Alya smiled. It was nice to see that even though she had not been there for her best friend had not been alone. "So you are Bug1," Alya responded.

"Yes," Tiki said pushing around Marinette's fingers. "I have not introduced myself to you properly. Hi, I am Tiki. I am Ladybug's kwami. I grant powers to Ladybug." She flew to Alya and stuck out her hand.

Alya smiled and stuck out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Tiki. I'm Alya."

The Kwami giggled. "I know that silly. I'm always with Marinette. So whenever you were with her, you were with me too."

Marinette smiled. "For the first time, I have both my best friends together."

"Yes, and we will both be in here to hear what that melt down was all about at the restaurant." Alya watched Marinette's eyes sink from her words. "But first you are going to shower. Then we will get comfy, and this will be just like a sleepover over when we were sixteen. So go shower. Tiki and I will be right here."

"Okay." Marinette stood up and gather her clothes for showering. She creeped out of her room and closed the door.

Alya and Tiki moved to Marinette's bed. Alya had become more serious as her friend left. The reporter realized they had maybe fifteen minutes to talk to Tiki. She would need to be straightforward and blunt.

"I'm sorry I cannot take this time to get to know you, Tiki. But I need to have a very tough conversation with you."

"I understand," the kwami nodded. "What do you need to talk about, Alya?"

"I'm here because of Chat Noir. He hired me to come back and find Ladybug so he can reunite with her."

"Oh wow," Tiki's antennas drooped.

"Yeah, so now that I have found Ladybug, and that it is Marinette, I should tell Chat Noir that I found her." Alya's brown eyes saddened. "I mean that is what I was hired to do right?"

"That's a tough question. It is your job, but they are both your friends. Does he just want to know that she's out there?"

"No, Chat want's to meet up with ladybug." Alya glanced around the room. She noticed beside her there was a Chat Noir doll. Alya picked it up and held it in her hands. "Looking at all of this, I'm not sure if I should tell Chat who she is while Marinette is so sensitive."

Tiki sighed. "Marinette is not in good place.

"I know. I'm sure. What do you think, Tiki? Should I tell Chat Noir I found her?"

"Would he come after Marinette?"

"He may. I'm not quite sure. I may talk to Plagg."

"You speak to Plagg?"

Alya nodded. "Yes, he is Chat Noir's kwami."

"So does that mean you know Chat Noir's civilian form?"

Alya nodded. "I do."

Tiki's eyes filled with worry. "How is Chat Noir, according to Plagg?"

"He's really desperate," Alya said with a despairing tone. "When he asked me to take on the task, I had never seen him so sad. Plagg asked me to not get him too hopeful."

"Plagg has lost quite a few Chat Noir's in his time. I can understand his caution. You should ask Plagg if you should tell Chat."

'And should I tell Marinette why I am actually here? Should I let her know who my client is?"

Tiki shook her head. "Don't tell Marinette yet. As you can tell, she misses Chat more than anyone. After the trial, she came in here and did nothing but hold that doll of Chat and cry. She doesn't know how to forgive herself for what she said about him. If you told her Chat Noir brought you here to find her, she will totally freak out!"

"What did she say about Chat in the trial that has upset her so much? Was it just the events of her date with the Evilistrator?"

The kwami floated on Alay's shoulder. "No, she's more upset with Hawkmoth's argument and how she didn't defend Chat Noir."

The reporter's eyebrows rose. "I didn't know Hawkmoth was there. I only knew all our classmates were there."

"You will need to get Marinette to explain it first. I don't want to say what she should be saying, yet." Tiki hung her head.

"Then we will need to get Marinette talking, because I need to know what happened."

The reporter hung her head and sighed. Tiki floated over to the brunette. "Alya, you are a really good friend. I've been around for thousands of years, and have been with hundreds of Ladybugs. Most of the time when someone discovers my chosen's civilian form they are hurt and angry. They think of their feelings before their others. You are different Alya. You put your friends before yourself, and you're handling all this information quite well."

"Thanks, Tiki," Alya pressed the red bug against her face. "That means a lot coming from someone with such experience. I just wished I had your amount of experience to figure out if I should tell Chat Noir i found Ladybug. This is just so stressful."

"You may not have my experience, but you do have me to help with Marinette."

"And I have Plagg to help with Chat!" Alya's head shot up so fast she had to press her glasses back up her nose. "If I can get you two together, then the three of us can discuss this and figure out some course of action."

"I don't want to leave Marinette alone. If you could get Plagg over to me somehow then we can plan."

"I can get Plagg away from Chat. Chat is busy throughout the day, and I can tell him it's some sort of Ladybug tracker idea I have."

Tiki did a flip. "Excellent! Then if you can come to me, we can all talk. Now we just need to get Marinette to talk about what happened tonight."

"I want her to talk about more than just tonight, and if we are going to get her to talk then that means we need to make her a comfortable as possible." Alya took a moment to think. What would make Marinette comfortable; baking! "Come on Tiki, we are going to go bake some cookies." The reporter hopped off the bed and headed for the kitchen. The red kwamia grinned and followed.

_oOo_

Alya and Tiki managed to make a batch of cookies, cool them, and separate them onto plates by the time Marinette emerged from the shower. She walked out of her room tentatively. Her eyes searching all around the room. "Where are Nathaniel and Lila?"

"I sent them on a date night," Alya answered. "They shouldn't be around at all the rest of the night."

"Oh, Okay." The blue haired girl took a seat on the couch by the empty plate. She smiled as she watched Tiki down an entire cookie in one bite. She picked up a cookie from the plate in front of her.

"So," Alya started as she watched her friend bte into the baked, "You are going to have to tell me why you had to run out on our group date?"

"Alya, I don't think it's worth hashing…"

"It is worth it," Alya snapped. Her fists were clasps tight in her lap "You have been holding in a lot of things, and I am sick of it. I am your best friend. That means I'm going to do what is best for you, not what you want or like. I will get the information out of you." Alya leaned towards Marinette with vulgar eyes. "We have all night, and girl you are not strong enough to handle me right now. I know you are not. So where do you want to start? When you last saw Chat Noir? What happened at that trial? Or what happened less than two hours ago at dinner?"

"I guess I choose dinner."

"Alright, that's a fine choice. Go ahead."

"I couldn't handle Adrien being so… nice." Marinette's face flushed as she confessed. "I mean I am the reason he had to graduate early and begin working at the company. I am the reason his father is now arrested."

The pigtailed girl tucked her feet underneath her body, hiding from the words she was finally saying. "He never even got the opportunity to go to college. Anything he may have wanted is now gone, and all he can do is sit and think about offering me a job? And what is terrifying to me is I do want that job. I want it, but I don't deserve it. If Adrien knew who I was he would agree and kick me out. He would tell me he hates me. I ruined his family."

Alya's eyebrows pressed closer to her eyes. "You are not responsible for Adrien's family."

"I sent his dad to jail. I sent the Gabriel Agreste to prison."

"Gabriel sent himself to jail when he decided to be Hawkmoth. You and Chat Noir only did what you were supposed to do; protect Paris."

Marinette's eye glossed over at the sound of partner's name. "Chat protected Paris, I attacked Hawkmoth. I'm the one that went after him. Chat was just working to keep the civilians safe. He told me to go somewhere private. He told me to just tie Hawkmoth up, and take him to the police station. I'm the one who unmasked Gabriel in front of everyone. I should have listed to my kitty. He was right. He was always looking after everyone else. I was just trying to finish the job, but instead made the unmasking a much larger event. "

"I had no idea you two had discussed how to handle Hawkmoths unmasking?" Alya was shocked. How had she missed this moment?

Marinette smiled sweetly. "You are a good reporter Alya, but we kept a lot from you. You couldn't always hear us when we were too far up. Pus Chat's super hearing always let u know when you were in earshot. We let you see what we wanted you to."

"Is that why I never heard the last thing you said to Chat Noir?" Alya asked.

Marinette frowned. "That was the biggest mistake. All I could think about was myself. The last thing I told Chat was the only thing on my mind. That Adrien will never forgive me. And then I see Adrien and he doesn't even know. And Chat. I lost all opportunity to every possibly make it up to Chat. Not after what they made me say at the trial." A slow leak of tears dripped out of the girls eyes. Tiki picked up a napkin and

Alya nodded. "I heard you ended up saying that Chat is the reason the Evilistrator became so harmful."

"I wish it were that simple," Tkiki chimed in. "That lawyer was so cruel. If that was all Marinette would have been able to say, that would have been better."

"Why don't I have the whole story?" the reporter asked. "Nino told me everything, and he heard it all from Max who was at the trial."

"You should know better than to think secondary source would be viable, Alya," Tiki scolded. "Max didn't know the whole story, so there is no way Nino would understand the whole thing."

"Then I need to hear what happened from a primary witness. Marinette, I know you may feel uncomfortable about this but, I need to know what happened from the trial.' The report took in a breath to hold back tears. She could see her glasses fogging from the precipitation in her eyes. "I feel absolutely awful that I was not there for you during the entire ordeal. I am your best friend. I am the one you are supposed to unload these kinds of burdens on. I'm supposed to be the shoulder for you to cry on. I am here now, and I want you to unload everything you worry on me. "

"If you hear the whole story do your promise not to be upset with me?" The girl's bluebell eyes glistened with tears.

"I don't promise to not be upset, but I do promise to not be upset with you. Girl, I love you and you will always be my BFF, no matter what has happened."

The girl smiled and blinked away tears. "I just need you to listen alright. I'm not quite sure where to start, and I may be all over the place. It's just a lot, and I don't want to have to stop. I just want to say it once and not explain."

Alya moved to sit next to her friend on the couch. She grabbed her hand and held it gently. "Start however you want. I will listen."

Marinette took a deep breath before beginning her tale. "I was so vulnerable at the time of the trial. I had tried to forget about Chat and Adrien, by dating Nathaniel. We were only together a month, because my heart was not in the relationship at all. Nathaniel offered me such a great opportunity. I could start a studio with him. That solved a lot of problems for me. Mom and Dad were going to move out of Paris to start their Baking chain. They were going to be traveling all over. We had not figured out a living situation for myself, but when Nathaniel said we could be business partners and live together, it answered so many problems."

"I kept thinking of my kitty. I started to make things. Like I made a doll, and I decided to make a hat to give him the next I ever saw him. Just hoped I could find Chat Noir. I realized I had left without any way to contact him. I would transform every night and sit in my room staring at my Yo Yo hoping he would call. I wanted to call him, but I was never sure how.

"Then I get a call from Juleka. She told me she hired a lawyer and was going to sue Chloe with other classmates. The whole concept seemed so bizarre to me. I didn't understand why she wasn't suing Gabriel Agreste. Turns out when Gabriel pleaded guilty to being Hawkmoth he made a settlement with every Akumatized victim. Every victim signed an agreement and could not sue Gabriel a second time. Juleka decided to go after Chloe on the grounds that her bullying made all their classmates susceptible to the Akumas.

"I said no to Juleka and thought that I was going to be free of all this. Then Chloe contacted Lila, and informed her that she was being sued. That got Lila and Nathaniel involved. Lila and Chloe began to spend every possible opportunity with Nathaniel to get him on their side. I'm not even sure if he believed their view at first, but I know Lila worked very hard to make sure Nathaniel was completely on their side.

"I thought I could sit on the side lines and not be involved, but then I was informed by Nathaniel he wanted me to be there as a witness. He told me I don't have to pick aside, but He wanted me to know that Chloe's lawyer was going to subpoena me. I thought I could handle it. So I got the summons and went. I worked really hard on what I would say to be a neutral as I could. What I didn't think about was who else would be involved.

"Chloe's dad got involved, of course. He contacted the one man that could do something, Gabriel Agrest. He was asked to come to the defense of Choe and he did. Gabriel went up to the court and discussed his motives. It was the first time I ever felt empathy for the man." Marinette began to choke on tears.

Alya squeezed her friend's hand. Take your time girl, this is a lot."

"He said he found the moth miraculous while on a business trip in Tibet. He said he was hoping to find his wife out in Tibet. A few months before his trip his wife had vanished from his life. She disappeared without a trace. She left every item behind; her cloths, books, money, her son, everything. He was devastated, and was willing to do anything to find her. Finding that moth miraculous was his idea of destiny being on his side."

"He said he didn't know what to do with the miraculous until he arrived back in Paris. He said he could sense the miraculous of others. Upon research he discovered that he could use the miraculous of two particular heroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, to obtain ultimate power. If he would be able to have ultimate power he could find his wife. So he decided he would need a way to lure the Ladybug and Chat noir miraculouses out because even though he could sense the miraculous, he could not identify exactly where they were outside of Paris.

"We need to explain a little Marinette," Tiki interrupted. "I will do it so you can take a break. " The red bug looked up at Alya. "What you don't know, Alya, is that miraculous holders cannot sense each other. Kwamis can sense other kwamis in the area because the levels of magic fluctuates. We don't know where we are, we just know there is more magic in the area. Chat Noir's kwami and I have a different type of magic. We can't sense it, but other kwamis feel our different types of magic unifying as one. It's because we are two haves like Chat Noir and Ladybug. Ladybug is the creative side, and Chat Noir is the destructive side."

"So when he started speaking, I realized that he wasn't telling the absolute truth. "The blue haired girl jumped back in. "Gabriel was definitely hiding the existence of kwamis. Although he had done something terrible, he was still honoring the miraculous and its ability. He then explained that he used his powers to collect butterflies. He could evilize the butterflies and turn them into akumas. He would then be able grant powers to any person who continued to feed the negative emotions. That's why he picked on people with poor mental states.

"He then added that he only sent out akumas in Paris because he knew it was Ladybug and Chat Noir. If those two heroes had not been I Paris he would not have gone after them, and he would have never used the miraculous because there was no other use for it."

"I then saw him look over at Chloe's father and lawyer. The lawyer nodded his head, while the Mayor mouthed 'keep going.' I don't know how I exactly knew then but I realized that there had to have been some sort of planned explanation with the lawyer. The lawyer then stood up and asked, who else should be blamed for the akuma attacks if not himself. Gabriel said; Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"I was so angry at his answer I ran out of the courtroom. How was I supposed to be neutral when Gabriel was saying such horrible things? He started this! I didn't even become Ladybug until after the first akuma attack! Yet, I was unable to defend myself without exposing everything, and possibly causing even worse problems. I went into a panic attack.

"Nathaniel ran after me. He asked me to go back into the courtroom. Instead I just yelled 'I change my mind! i don't want to be here. Tell them Marinette has changed her mind.' I was freaking out so loud I caused a fifteen minute recess. The judge explained to e that I was to be put on stand after Nathaniel explained his side of the date. I was subpoenaed, so i cannot leave. I had to stay.

I sat through as each classmate on the plaintiffs side explain how Chloe bullied each of them and that akumatizing them. They each explained how the akuma stigma has hurt their futures. I listened to Chloe explain how she was akumatized because of me, and that made Ladybug look less to jury. Finally Nathaniel went up and explained the time he had as Evilistrator. He was so angry at Chat Noir for interrupting the date.

"Finally I was called up." Marinette had tears free flowing down her face. "They asked me if I ever felt in danger while with Nathaniel in his akumatized state. I answered no. Did I ever feel like Nathaniel would do anything to me? No. Did I seek out Chat Noir's assistance? No he approached me. I explained I took the pen because Chat Noir told me too. That triggered the fight, and Chat noir started threw the first attack.

"The lawyer then began to get really unknowingly personal. He asked me if Chat Noir had made a mistake with the Evilistrator, he could he have possibly made mistakes with the other akumatized victims? He asked if Chat Noir was too reactive, and wasn't thinking of the akumatized civilian needs. He asked why Chat Noir would run off after so many victims were purified. Did he and Ladybug have any right to help out the civilian? Why didn't they try talking a deal out with Hawkmoth and his victims? There were so many questions. Answer yes r no, everything made it worse. There were so many attacks on Chat Noir.

"I asked why I didn't have any Ladybug directed, and the answer was they had no record of me having my interactions with Ladybug. Of course! I couldn't tell them I was Ladybug, and I couldn't defend partner. The person who put their life on the line, for me, and every other civilian. I should have stood up and taken Chat's side. I failed him."

"The court ended up ruling that it could not be Chloe's fault, as someone who had been akumatized by heroes, and by heroes who brought terror onto Paris purposefully or not."

Marinette fell silent staring at her feet. Alya squeezed her hand, and felt a light squeeze back. "Alya, I don't want to talk anymore."

"That's fine. You talk a lot. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it." She pulled her best friend to her side and wrapped her arms around her in a big hug. "How about we go back to your room and watch one of those one star horror movies on Netflix?"

Marinette laughed. "That sounds great." The friends Got up and went to Marinette's room and set up for the movie. Alya could not focus on the movie though. She had to process all the information Marinette had given her. She also had to figure out a way to get Plagg away from Adrien.


	9. Chapter 9

Hello! Thank you all so much for the reviews, and the wonderful words of encouragement. This week was a rough week! Conferences, plus I got to go to the urgent care Cuz my insides hates me! Hurray! But I am healing and all is good. I think I can pick up my regular schedule though which is just as fast as humanly possible. You all are great! Thank you so much. I love all comments, reviews, messages, and pictures, whatever.

Traditional Twist

Chapter 9

Alya realized what she was doing was extremely risky. Tikki had asked her if she was sure about this three times in the middle of the night when marinette had fallen asleep. She gave the kwami her phone charger and told her to hide it until the reporter had left. Marinette would call her and tell her she had forgotten her phone charger, and they would have to meet up again to get the phone charger back. This would hopefully give her an opportunity, or at least give two kwamis the opportunity to talk, and one report back to her.

There was a second Alya knew she had to contact Adrien. She would need to "borrow" Plagg from him. She realized she could not leave Marinette without Tikki, fore it seemed that Tikki was keeping her focused and optimistic. Adrien on the other hand could keep himself busy for some time without his kwami. That is why she texted Adrien to pick her up instead of a cab the next morning.

 **Alya: Adrien, I am sending u Marinette's address.**

 **I need u to pick me up. stay on the car. text when u get here**

 **Adrien: Ok**

That was all Alya needed to say to Adrien. Adrien looked at the time on her phone; seven in the morning. The reporter rolled over to her friend. Marinette was curled up next to her on the bed. Alya couldn't help but smile. They always shared a bed with sleepovers, and Marinette always took up the tiniest amount of bed. It would take Adrien about fifteen minutes to get over here.

Alya gently shook her friend. "Marinette, I need to get up, so I'm waking you up. This is not a one night stand."

"Alya, it's so early," the blue haired girl grumbled.

"Seven isn't that early. PLus you should be used to this Mrs. Super hero."

"You would think I would get used to it, but swear it just got worse with time." Marinette sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Alya looked around the room. The collection of black and green haunted her vision. "It's alright to miss Chat, you know? I bet he misses you too.

"I don't know. I think he misses Ladybug. If he knew who I really was I think he would despise me."

"You won't know that until you try."

"That sounds like an awfully large try."

"What if I arrange something?"

Marineets eyes widened. "What?"

"What if I was able to get you and Chat together? Maybe for a reunion interview for the Ladyblog since I am in town. I could even send you questions early and you can cross off ones you don't like."

"Alya..."

"I'm sure I could track that cat down. If you don't like the interview I could invite you both to where I am staying. You two could catch up and i could mediate."

Marinette bit her lip. "Let me think on those alright?"

"Of course!" Alya smiled, "I'm not asking for a decision now; just that you think on it."

"Okay." The designer smiled.

Alya felt her phone vibrate. She flipped it over to see a text from Adrien saying he was outside. The reporter smiled at her best friend. "That's my ride, but I will come back soon. Also, when I come back here I want to see all this Chat stuff picked up. You can't do this to yourself. At least make a dent so I can see what color the walls are."

"I will try," Marinette said with a smile. She hugged her friend. "Should I walk you out?"

Alya waved a hand in the air. "Hun, I know you are just going to fall again. You lay back down and go back to sleep."

"Thank you. Text me when you to your apartment."

Alya flashed a thumbs up. "Will do!"

The reporter waved goodbye and headed out of the apartment. She went down to the parking area of the complex. It didn't take her long to spot Adrien standing next to his car. He looked at Alya, waved, and wore a sheepish grin.

Alya rolled her eyes. "I'm pretty sure I told you to stay in the car."

"Technically, you text said on the car," the blonde corrected, "But I also wasn't sure you would find me. All the windows are tinted."

"Agreste, I think you forget finding things is my specialty," Alya responded opening the passenger car door.

"Very true," Adrien nodded as he entered the car.

Alya waited for Adrien's door to be closed. "Besides, I think you had other intentions for hanging outside of the car."

The blonde hung his head. "I just hope Marinette is alright. I didn't mean to chase her off."

"She's going to be okay. She was just shocked at how nice you were. She's kind of developed some low self-esteem."

Adrien's mouth gaped. "Why would she be so low on herself?"

"There are a few reasons. I think Marinette would prefer to keep private. However, she was absolutely overwhelmed with your offer to go see her work at the studio, and would love for you to stop by at some point," Alya grinned.

"Cool, maybe I will stop by later today? Or is that too soon?" The blond shrugged with guilt for asking.

"I will get back to you on that, though I think that could be a good idea. I could even go with you."

"Yeah that would be great. You always keep Marinette calm."

Alya raised her arms over the headrest of the seat. "It's one of my many talents." She inhaled, knowing that she was about to bring up a touchy subject while Adrien drove. He was much better in the daylight. Especially since the two hadn't a schedule to follow perfectly. "Adrien, I need to borrow something?"

"What do you need? If it is an item I'm sure I can either just give it to you or give you the money for it."

"That's a sweet offer, but I don't think Plagg would like being sold."

"You want to borrow Plagg?"

"Yeah is he with you now?"

On cue, the black cat poked its head out from Adrien's pocket. "You want me?"

"Yes" Alya lowered her glasses to look at the Kwami.

"Why?" Plagg squeaked. "I've never left my chosen."

Why was a question the reporter had overlooked? When she and Tikki were discussing how to get the two kwamis in the same location. Alya realized she would have to lie, and lie quickly.

"I... umm want to ask about some Kwami things, and also get some information about Adrien. There has to be some personality quirks or identifiers that make you two a specific to be Chat Noir. If I can identify the similar aspects of your personalities, then I can use that to try and find Ladybug."

Alya sighed on the inside. That lie was too natural, but it worked out well, but did Adrien fall for it?

"Okay, but I don't want to leave you alone for too long." Adrien parked the car outside Alya's apartment. His hands were shaking on on the wheel. "How long will you need?"

Alya could see the anxiety growing in his face. "It wouldn't be long. Maybe two or three hours at most."

"Can you just talk to Plagg while I'm like in another room? I'm in no rush today, because I finally decided to take a day off." His breath grew heavier. His skin seemed paler as well, as he tightened his grip on the wheel. Alya watched as he closed his eyes. She had never seen him appear so defensive.

"I'm didn't mean to upset you, Adrien," Alya cooed. "We can talk in another room."

Adrien exhaled. "Thanks. It's just, he's always there for me. Everyone one else has left or gone. You can say I've become rather dependent on him. He's the only family have."

Alya smiled softly. "That's exactly why I want to talk with him. Why don't you come upstairs and Plagg and I will talk up in the apartment?"

The blond nodded. He parked the car and the two entered the building. Alya couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for asking Adrien to part from his Kwami. Alya knew that Marinette wouldn't last without Tikki, so why did she assume Adrien would be so open and willing? She continued to ponder in silence as they reached the elevator of the apartment.

_oOo_

Alya picked up her laptop and handed it to Adrien. "Here watch a movie, go to Reddit, read fan fiction, do whatever to entertain. Plagg and I will be in my room."

"Thanks," Adrien kicked off his shoes and made himself comfortable on the couch.

"Plagg, you're with me," Alya pointed towards the bedroom. The black Kwami zoomed through the door. Alya followed and quickly shut the door.

The brunette sat on the bed and covered her face with her hands. She let out a deep breath. "This is not what I planned."

"You didn't expect a cat to act possessive?" Plagg squeaked.

Alya's phone beeped. She looked down to see a text from Marinette informing her she had "left" her phone charger. Another sigh left Alya's mouth.

"I was supposed to take you and wait until I got this message. We would go to the studio, and you, me, and Tikki were going to talk."

Plagg's mouth hung open."Wait, Tikki? As in the kwami?"

Alya nodded. "Yes, I found her."

"You found her!" Plagg repeated.

"Yes, and she's extremely vulnerable right now."

"So is Adrien!"

"I know! And stop yelling. That's why I wanted to talk with both of you to figure out a reveal plan, but now that's out the window."

"Forget any plan, you have to tell Adrien you found her!" Plagg was flying up in Alya's face. "Who is she? Does Adrien know her? He needs to see her!"

"He does know her, and that's the problem."

"Who is she?"

"Marinette."

The Cat's eyes dilated. "The girl who always stutters around Adrien?" Alya heard his voice squeaked with hints of optimism.

"Yes. She thinks Adrien hates her because of Hawkmoth's arrest, and she thinks Chat Noir hates her because she spoke at the trial. Marinette ran out on Adrien last night because he was being Adrien."

Plagg's ears fell. "This does seem problematic, but you still need to Adrien."

"But won't he just go talk to her? Try to confront her? She's not ready for that?"

"Not if we will tell him not to. Alya, you got to understand. This is the best news this kid will have received in years. You can't hide this from him. I can't speak for Ladybug, but as Adrien's Kwami I can tell you he needs to hear this, and he needs to hear this now. This is a kitten I can save."

Alya nodded. "Alright, I will tell him. But you are still going to have to meet with Tikki today. I can sneak you over to where she is hiding."

Plagg flew towards the door of the bedroom. "And how do you plan on doing that with him in the other room?"

"We will have to bring him."

"So you're going to tell him who Ladybug is, tell him he can't see her yet, and then drag him along while you go see her?"

Alya stomped her foot. "This is why I wanted to discuss this with you and Tikki!"

The two paced. Each fuming at the unfortunate situation. Alya continued to mill over the question at hand. Tell Adrien now or tell Adrien later. He was normal around her last night. He had to be normal around Marinette, and if he knew she was Ladybug he would not be normal.

"We will tell him after we visit Marinette and you talk to Tikki," Alya decided. "I don't trust he won't freak out, and you, Tikki, and I need to figure out if we are going about this the right way." The reporter hit reply and told her friend she would be the studio.

"You have to promise to tell Adrien when we get back." Plagg's green eyes were stern.

"I promise," Alya raised her hand like a scout. Her phone buzzed, and she saw a reply from her friend to see her soon. "We are good to go."

Plagg nodded and flew through the wall. Alya followed, opening the door. "Okay Adrien, we are going to the studio."

Adrine jumped at the sudden movement. "I thought you said you needed a few hours?"

"Plagg is good at explaining," she said.

"Ok, I know that's a lie," Adrien raised an eyebrow.

"I left my phone charger at Marinette's and she agreed to bring it to the studio. You want to go to the studio so this is just serendipitous."

Adrien stood up. "That makes sense." The three left the apartment.

_oOo_

The trio arrived to the studio in record time. Adrien parked the car and then began to look around the car. "Plagg?"

The black cat popped his head out Alya's hair. "Her hair is so soft!"

"Thank you?" Alya flashed a questioning look at Adrien.

"Plagg, get out of Alya's hair," Adrien ordered.

"No, her hair is like the best blanket ever!" The black cat snuggled into her hair. Whatever you are doing, Alya, please tell Adrien."

"Plagg, Alya is our friend. Please don't make her smell like stinky cheese too."

"Its fine Adrien," Alya reassured. "Let's go inside."

The three walked up to the entrance of Evillistator Ink. The door chimed, as Adrien, Alya, and the now hidden Plagg walked into the center of the studio. Adrien gaped at the art and dresses that surrounded him. Alya smiled at his admiration for the arts. She watched as his eyes latched onto a stone colored dress with gold trim. The underlining was an almost perfect representation of the insides of the Gothic Cathedral Sainte-Chapelle. It was a beautiful piece of work. He walked over to the design.

Marinette appeared out of the black curtain hanging in the back of the open space. "Hello! Welcome to… Alya! You are here." She began to walk to her friend, but froze when she saw the blonde Model staring at one of her dresses. "A-adrien!"

"I brought him along. I needed a ride and he wanted to see the studio," Alya smiled at the blue haired girl.

Alya saw Marinette's eyes grow. "Oh, okay."

Adrien turned to the frozen girl. "Marinette, did you make this?"

"Y-yes," Marinette managed to stammer. "I designed and crafted it myself."

"It's amazing," He almost whispered. Alya smiled as she saw her friend blush.

The reporter put her hands on Marinette's shoulders and shoved her towards the model. "Why don't you give Adrien the tour? Show him all your dresses, and I will go grab my cellphone charger."

Adrien smiled. "I would love to know about your work."

"Sure," Marinette squeaked. "What do you want to know?"

"How did you pick the fabric?" He asked.

Alya took this moment to rush into the back behind the black curtain. She saw Marinette's purse and opened it up. "Tikki, we are here."

The red kwami fluttered up holding a white cord. "Here is you phone charger, Alya."

Plagg stuck his head from Alya's thick hair. "Tikki!" The kwami shot out of the air and talked the red one.

"Plagg! I missed you." Tikki squeaked.

"I missed you too, Tikki, but we need to talk about our holders. I don't know if I can keep Adrien happy for much longer. I'm not supposed to that. I'm the embodiment of Badluck."

"Wait, Chat Noir is Adrien?" Tikki exclaimed.

Plagg looked to Alya. "You didn't tell her?"

"There was never a safe time!" Alya cried. They heard the doorbell chime and voices of other people enter the studio. "We can't stay back here too long." Alya turned to Tikki. "Tikki, I am telling Adrien I found Ladybug. The kids in shambles."

"What?" Tikki almost screamed.

Plagg put his paw over the kwami's mouth. "Sorry Tikki, but if Alya doesn't tell Adrien, I am. I'm not losing another to isolation."

Tikki blinked solemnly. "I understand. I am extremely worried about Marinette, especially now that I know it is Adrien." The red bug buzzed and thought for a moment. "She needs to get comfortable with him. At least one side of him."

"Well Adrien is in love with her fashion so that shouldn't be too much of a problem." Alya paused in thought. "I think we need to get her in mask. I told her I could get them together and she said she would think about it. Tikki, I need you to start pushing that."

"Okay, I'll try." Tikki chirped.

"Plagg, we gotta keep Adrien on emotional check," Alya ordered. "Who knows how he will react to this."

Plagg opened his mouth to speak when loud shouts began coming from the other room.

"What's going on?" Tikki asked.

Alya's brows furrowed. "Don't know, but It's not good. You guys better hide." Tikki went back into Marinette's purse, and Plagg flew back into the nest he made in Alya's hair.

The reporter who walked out to see Adrien and Nathaniel squaring off in the center of the studio. Behind Adrian, cowering blue hair designer was softly asking them to stop. On Nathaniel's side, his girlfriend Lila stood behind him and encouraging him to be louder.

"You can't just offer Marinette a job in front of me. What kind of dick move are you pulling?" Nathaniel shouted in the blondes face.

"First of all you do not speak for Marinette. She has her own mind and can make you own choices." Adrien defended his case. "Second, I only asked if she would be interested in a job."

"Why do you need her so badly? Does no one want to work for Hawkmoths son?"

"You deadbeat artist." Alya could only watch as Adrien pulled his right arm back. His hand in a fist. When a smaller set of arms latched onto his forearm. "No!" Adrien turned to see Marinette holding him back. His green eyes stared into her bluebell eyes. He took a deep breath in through his nose and exhaled.

He dropped his arm. "Do you have your phone charger, Alya?"

"Yes," she said quickly. "Let's get going."

She followed Adrien out of the studio. As they walked to the car, Adrien tossed Alya the keys. Alya questioned the gesture, but then she saw Plagg peak out of her hair.

"Adrien just wait a minute. Let's not be rash," Plagg tried to ease the festering blonde.

Adrien looked around to see nobody in sight. He reached an arm over to Alya pulled her down so they were both crouching behind the car. "Claws Out!" Adrien called. The green light blinded Alya for a moment's. She blinked the green spots out of her eyes in time to see Chat Noir bounding off on top of the nearby buildings.


	10. Chapter 10A

I am so sorry this chapter is short, so I am just making it parts. This is the first half of the chapter I intended to produce, the second half, (if I wake up early) can hopefully be written by tomorrow.

This week has just been crazy on work! I had no off periods, and it was all just one straight run constantly. I also had to take work home. To be honest, the only reason I even have this much of the chapter one is that I added the Google Doc's app on my phone so at any moment I could write I did.

Thank you all for your patience. I would also like to let you know that I plan for chapter 11 to be the end of this series. So you will have two (hopefully not 3) more updates for this story. I have had so much fun writing this, but just as the novel ends, so must this story.

I do have another Ladynoir fic planned to start writing after this story ends for those of you who would like to see more content from me. If you would like to know more about the future plan, let me know and I will provide the synopsis in the next update.

Than you all so much for reading! You are all wonderful! I can't believe how nice all of you are from the reviews and messages. You are all so motivating.

Chapter 10A

Alya watched as Chat Noir bounded over buildings into the city of Paris. She glanced down at the keys in her hand. Her forearm flexed and her fingers wrapped into a fist. "Damn it! Where the hell is he going?"

The reporter jumped to the car and started the engine. She set out in route of Adrien as he jumped from roof to roof. Alya sped around corners, drove down streets, and backed out of alleyways following the hero. He moved so quickly in his suit, there is no way she could have kept up with him on foot. Alya grunted as she reversed a third time out of an ally. It was so much easier to follow heroes when they had an akuma to fight. Akuma's were usually goal oriented and stayed in one area. Alya only had to find the akuma and wait for Ladybug and Chat Noir to appear. This game of chase with Chat continued for twenty minutes, which only frustrated Alya more.

Alya turned around a corner and saw Chat Noir jump into a short building in the row on the street. He had jumped onto roof of Nathaniel and Marinette's studio. Alya's eyes widened. "Please don't pick a fight with a civilian," She pleaded to herself. She parked the car on the side, and got out. She crept along the side of the building, peering into the front door, no one was inside. She her a loud shriek coming from the other side of the building. "Marinette?" the reporter panicked and moved to the other side to peer into the alley.

Peering around the corner, Alya saw Chat Noir kneeling while kissing the knuckles of a very shocked Marinette.

"Hello princess," he greeted her. "It has been so long."

"Ch-ch-chat," Marinette sputtered as his lips rested on her hand.

"What's the matter, princess? Cat got your tongue?"

Marinette's hand covered her mouth as tears began to flow down her cheeks. Her eyes reddened, and her cheeks flushed. She pulled her other hand away from Chat and wrapped it around her shoulder.

Chat's ears dropped. "What's wrong? Did I say something to upset you?"

Marinette shook her head no. Her hand muffling the sound of her cries. Chat Noir stepped towards the girl, and she responded by taking a step.

"Marinette what's wrong?"

"You shouldn't be talking to me. Not after what I've said." Her body quivered. She took another step back and steadied herself against the adjacent wall.

"I don't understand. We haven't spoken in so long. I don't remember you saying anything bad?"

"I never said it to you. I didn't mean to say it. I'm so sorry Chat."

Chat Noir stepped closer to the crying girl. He was mere inches away from her. "Princess you are purrfect. You have done nothing to upset me."

"At the trial… The lawyer asked me such trick questions. No matter what I said it made you sound bad. I... I should have stood up for you, but I was afraid. I should have yelled at everyone, but i didn't." Marinette leaned into Chat Noir's chest. "I'm so sorry," she wept.

Chat hugged her tighter as she cried. "I hold nothing against you, Princess. You should not feel obligated to stand up for me. I'm a superhero. If I would have wanted to defend myself, I would have shown up that day. "He wiped a tear from her cheek.

Marinette's mouth twitched into a small smile. Chat noir smiled. "There's that beautiful smile. Why don't you dry those tears, and tell me what you are doing out in the alley?"

Marinette wiped her eyes with her sleeves. "I'm just checking on my dresses. I store some out here. I wanted to pull out a dress for a fitting I have later." she pointed to the storage shed. "I keep my fitted garments and understudy dresses in here."

"Let's see the dress then. I'm sure it meow-volous." His words purred off his lips into a smirk.

"O-okay, but I'm not removing it from its cover out here. You can come in for a moment. Nathaniel had to run back to the apartment. He and Lila are moving one of his sculptures to the studio. He is extremely overprotective when it comes to his art."

"That's not the only thing he's overprotective of," Chat Noir mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?" Marinette asked.

"I said let's hurry up inside," the cat recover quickly.

Alya realized she needed to move. She could not be peaking around the corner. The reporter quickly ran inside the studio. The reporter couldn't help but smile at the serendipitous moment she happened to witness. Perhaps she had less to worry about than she thought? Adrien calmed Marrinette in a way that had taken Alya hours to do, and as Chat Noir. They had a special connection, and Alya was now determined to bring them back together.

The door chimed, and Alya heard a gasp. "Alya! What are you doing here?" Marrinette flushed as Chat Noir sauntered in.

"I was looking for Adrien," Alya said staring directly at Chat Noir. "He ran off before we got to his car. I tried to follow him but couldn't catch up, so I came back here. He was pretty heated. I would hate for him to come back in here to continue his fight with Nathaniel."

Chat Noir raised an eyebrow and frowned. "Purrhaps he is just blowing off some steam. Some guys just need to get outside in the fresh air. Don't assume he is ready to pounce."

"I'm not assuming, I'm just being proactive," the reporter retorted. Alya looked around the studio. "Where is Nathaniel?"

"He went with Lila to get some of his more delicate art pieces," Marinette chimed in. "I… I'm going to show Chat the studio since he's not here."

Alya nodded. "That's probably for the best." Who knows how Lila had trained Nathaniel to react around Chat Noir. Or how perhaps Nathaniel already felt about the cat suited hero.

"I'm going to put this dress in the back," Marinette said walking towards the curtained door. "Just a minute." The pigtailed girl ran off into the back.

Alya approached her faux leather suited friend. "What on earth has gotten into you, Agreste!" The reporter hissed in hushed tones. "Are you trying to pick a fight? Cuz, if you need one I'm happy to punch you in the face."

The hero scoffed at her offer. "I wanted to continue my conversation with Marinette. Nathaniel is clearly jealous of her talent and her work load. His _name_ maybe all over the place, but she's the one keeping it afloat. She shouldn't be working with him if he is going to create such a negative environment."

"And what exactly makes you think that?" Alya questioned. "They are partners in this business."

A Cheshire grin crossed his face. "I've been running a successful business to know how to recognize what is working and what is not."

Chat Noir winked at the reporter and walked over to a light blue mermaid style dress. On the figure, small splotches of yellow and green decorated the dress in the shape of a yellow sunflower.

Alya followed hero, wanting to make sure he kept his claws safe distance. "Remember your claws are sharp. Don't rip my best friend's hard work."

"I'm more aware of where my claws are than anyone else, don't worry," Chat chuckled as he answered.

Marinette walked out of the purple curtain and back into the studio. She recoiled when she saw Chat Noir admiring one of her dresses. "What do you guys think?" Her voice quivered.

"It's lovely, Marinette," Alya boasted.

"I think it is meow-velous," Chat Noir purred. "Is this dresses theme Monet?"

"It is," Marinette said walking over to join them.

"I could tell by the way the flower appears clearer from afar." He leaned the upper half of his body back for emphasis. Alya heard the door chime, but was too distracted by the Cat hero's acrobatics to process what he chime mean. Marinette was very much hypnotized by Chat Noir's movements.

A smirk crept across Chat's face. Alya watched has his ears flickered at the bell chime. She knew he was aware of what he was doing, and that he was. "It was very nice for Nathaniel to frame your lovely piece with his Monet inspired paintings."

"What do you mean framed?" A demanding voice called from across the room. All three turned their heads to see Nathaniel holding onto a very large, oddly shaped clay vase. The red haired boy placed the vase gently on the ground and marched over to the group. "This here is exhibition for Monet inspired pieces!"

"I can see that," the cat mocked. "And what I see is some fine paintings surrounding an exquisite statement piece. Would you not agree that Marinette is worth the praise?"

"Chat please stop," Marinette tried to coax.

"Of course Marinette is talented, but that doesn't put one art form above the other." Nathaniel's fists were clenched as tight as his jaw.

Chat Noir's smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Are you just saying that because you feel intimidated? You can make as many paintings, drawings, and sculptures, but you have very few pieces that stand to be at the same quality as Marinette."

"I wouldn't expect an ally cat to understand how to value art."

Alya's brows furrowed. "You two need to stop. You're acting childish!"

"I've don't really have a good history with artists," Chat said ignoring Alya's word. He began to circle the artist. "How many pieces of art have you sold in the past month?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Because it seems to me Marinette is the busier one, having fittings and creating so many large pieces in such a short time."

"I sell plenty! And I don't need to be defending myself to someone who has ruined the life of others!"

"If you were selling as much as Marinette, then you wouldn't have to feel the need to defend your work."

"Whatever you washed up hero."

"It's better…" Chat noir was interrupted by a forceful yank of his tail. He fell on his back.

"Stop!" Alya was basically shouting. "You are a hero! You should know better. I'm taking you out!" The brunette dragged the cat to the door. The doorbell chimed, and a very confused Lila stood in the doorway. "Keep the door open," Alya grunted through her teeth. Lila nodded and held the door.

Outside Alya let go of the hero. She placed her hands on her hips. "How dare you come back to start a second fight," She scolded him.

"I don't know what you mean, starting a fight? Me-ow?" He grinned.

"Wipe that smug look of your face! Meet me at my apartment. I'm taking your car." Alya stomped off to the car and unlocked the door. The nerve of Adrien to come back and have a 2nd round with Nathaniel. Marinette is going to be a mess because of this, and she could only remove the problem instead of staying and comforting. She took out her phone, and opened up the messages to Marinette.

 **I'm really sorry that happened.**

 **text me so i know your ok**

When she hear the _swoop_ of the message being sent, Alya drove off to meet Adrien at the apartment.


	11. Chapter 10B

Hello Everyone! Here is the second half of Chapter 10. This is the second to last chapter. I hope to have the final Chapter to you all by the weekend. I am so grateful to everyone who has commented, reviewed, provided support, and just been awesome!

I was contacted by MelStarlight29 who has asked for approval to translate The Great Chat Noir (The great Chatsby) into French. I am so flattered that someone thinks I am worthy of their time to translate almost 40,000 words from English to French. I say yes! Approval granted. I believe the French version will be on Wattpad. I will also be posting the finished story to Wattpad in English under Traditional Twist. If you all are that dedicated and wish to seek my approval for anything like translations, comics, or what not, please feel free to ask.

I am blown away by all your kind words and generosity. Love you all. Thank you. I will be posting a new Fan fic sometime this week as well (probably the day of or after the final chapter of the Great Chatsby). This story will be taking place in the show universe, and is not based on anything but the Miraculous Ladybug tv show. Thank you all, and have a wonderful day.

Chapter 10B

When Alya arrived to the apartment door, she was furious. Had Adrien always been so impulsive? Her mind trailed back to a time when she was following Chat Noir and Ladybug going after a rather difficult akuma. The two heroes had been knocked down. Chat Noir jumped back up and began charging back at the akuma. Lady bug grabbed his tail and yanked him back. The two went back and forth on making a plan versus constantly attacking. Chat noir finally calmed down to admit Ladybug was right. After ten minutes of planning they went into action and freed the akumatized victim.

Alya took out her keys and opened the door. Her eyes went straight to the black cat standing in the living room area. She shook her head as she closed the door. "You need to learn restraint."

"I don't think I did anything wrong. I just said what no one else was willing to," He folded his arms.

"You are being rash. Get out of your Cat suit! I want Plagg here to tell you what an idiot you have been as well!"

Chat noir rolled his eyes. "Claws in," he called out. A flash of green light surrounded him, and a small black kwami spiraled out of Adrien's ring.

Plagg landed on the couch. "I hope you enjoyed your run. Now give me cheese."

Alya walked into the kitchen and pulled out a wheel of Camembert. She carried it over to the couch and placed it next the kwami. "Adrien, you need to be careful. I know you saw how sensitive Marinette is."

"And Nathaniel has been taking advantage of her."

"And you weren't trying to manipulate her to come work for you."

"At least I will treat her with respect."

"But you're adding to her problems." Alya let out a yell. "Do you not understand how your actions may affect others or how others talk to you?"

"Of course I don't. I am not an idiot. I'm just trying to help a friend."

"And I'm trying to help two friends!" She stomped her foot. "Nother has gone right today!"

Adrien shot Alya a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"You were going to learn who Ladybug was," Plagg gargled through a mouth full of cheese.

"What?!" Adrien's eyes grew large. "You know who she is?"

"I found out not too long ago. That's why I wanted to talk to Plagg. I needed advice on how to tell you. Now everything has just gone crazy."

"Just tell me now!"

"That's the problem. I was going to tell you now, but I am terrified of how you will react now. I have no clue what kind of impulse thing you're going to do."

"What could I possibly do that would be so awful?"

Plagg swallowed his bite of cheese, before sticking out his paw to count. "I can think of lots of thing. Go confront her. Confess your undying love to her. Stalk her for the rest of her li…"

"Nobody asked you Plagg," Adrien growled.

"I'm just being honest, which is something you need to start doing as well. You are living in a fancy." Plagg floated towards Adrien.

"I am not. I'm just trying to get everything back to the way things were."

"Adrien, you can't repeat the past," Alya interjected.

"Of course you can. If it happened before it can happen again. I find Ladybug and we begin fighting crime again. We will meet up for patrol, save people from burglars and petty crime. It will be just like before, just without Hawkmoth."

Alya and Plagg shook their heads in unison. "And what if that's not what Ladybug wants. I've talked with her. She does not want to go back to fighting crime. She wants to live a normal life without the pressures of being a hero. To be honest, Paris doesn't need you heroes anymore. They only crimes occurring are crimes the police should be handling. You two have done what you need to do. Paris owes you two time to rest."

"I don't know who I am without Chat Noir though. It's the only identity I have ever been comfortable in."

"Then it's time for you to spend more time with Adrien, and get to know him."

The blonde hung his head. "It's not that easy. I have so few people around me. And the person I feel the most connected to is not with me. I need someone. I need her. I can't be alone anymore."

Alya felt a vibration in her pocket. She pulled out her phone to see a text from Marinette. "One second Adrien."

M: It's actually ok. I feel better seeing him. It was really nice to see Chat.

Alya was stunned at the text message she received. She looked up at Adrien who gave her a puzzle look. This was not the response she expected from Marinette. Was this the effect Adrien had on Marinette as Chat Noir? Is this the emotional support That Marinette had needed? This was such a turn.

A: Would you want to see him again?

She looked up from her phone remembering she was holding a conversation with Adrien. "Adrien, is knowing who she is really going to make you not lonely?"

Adrien looked the brunette in the eyes. "It might be the only thing that lets me know I have a chance of never being alone."

She felt a buzz; another text from Marinette.

M: I think so. But it would be weird for me to see him again. I don't want to have more talk about work.

A: I know he misses Ladybug. Would you want to be Ladybug?

The report was shocked after she pressed the send button. She couldn't concentrate on Adrien and Marinette at the same time. Adrien was here, so he could wait. Alya didn't know how long she had to talk with Marinette. "Adrien, Hold on. I can't have these two conversations at once."

M: Alya, I haven't been Ladybug in years.

"Who is texting you?" The model asked. Alya ignored his question. The texts were coming back instantly. Alya wasn't even sure how Marinette was reading so quickly.

A: And now is the perfect time.

M: it's weird if I just show up out of nowhere.

A: Not if I'm the one who initiates

M: so like you got in contact with me?

A: exactly. I'll just say I wanted an interview for old times' sake. Like a reunion

M: ok

A: ok?

M: ok. But, we meet in our suits.

A: understood. Now when?

M: tonight?

A: perfect. How about you come to my apartment. Then you can wait until he is here to change. It might cause some chaos is LB starts swinging through Paris.

M: ok. I will be there at 10.

A: wonderful! I will tell Chat Noir 10:30 **.**

Alya shook her head in disbelief. "I don't believe your luck, nor do I know what you did right, but Ladybug wants to meet up with you."

Adrian's eyes lit up. "Your texting Ladybug!" He got up to grab the phone, but Alya held him back with one hand.

"Yes, and you are going to meet here at 10:30 tonight. Don't be late, and come as Chat Noir."

"Tonight?" Adrien was dumbfounded. "How?"

"Not every reporter is as fortunate as me. I have great experience. She is going to arrive before you. So don't come early."

"Are you going to tell me who she is?"

Alya looked towards Plagg. The kwami had been silent during this exchange. Alya assumed he was quiet partly because he was eating, but the other half he seemed to be contemplating what to say. He simply shook his head no to Alya. Alya nodded slightly in agreement. "I think you two should talk first."

Adrien stared down at Plagg. The cat stared into his masters green eyes. Neither smiling, but neither looking upset. "Ok," was Adrien's response.

"Go home and get ready. Take your car with you," Alya held out the keys. Adrien nodded. He motioned to Plagg to get going and the black Kwami flew into the blonde's pocket. Alya watched as they walked out the door.

Alya sunk into the couch and sighed. What has she gotten herself into?


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: And the final chapter has been written this is by far the longest chapter, and I want you al to know I wrote it all today and yesterday. Thank you all for reading, following, and enjoying the story. This was my first ever fanfic.

When I started this story I really only expected to write the first chapter, get maybe two views, and be told no one wants to read this. But here I am a month and a half later with over 100 pages of a fan fic written, and with nothing but positive vibes from all you wonderful people. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

To everyone who reviewed and commented. Thank you so much. You helped me learn and grow as a writer. You have inspired me to continue writing, and I hope you will all join me on another fan fiction journey as well. The tittle of my next story is Things hidden. I hope that if you enjoyed this story, you will give that one a chance too. I hope you enjoy the ending of this. Let me know what you think. All comments are helpful, good and bad.

Ove you all,

Traditional Twist!

Chapter 11

There was nothing for Alya to do except wait. Wait for her friend Marinette to arrive and change into ladybug. Wait for her friend Adrien to climb in through the window and his cat suit. Wait for the moment those two finally saw each other. The reporter was nervous. This was the single most anticipated moment of her life.

The reporter checked the time on her phone; 12:30 in the afternoon. There were hours left before Alya would finally see the reunited duo. Ten to be precise. 9 if Marinette came over an hour early at most. That left an entire work day for Alya to sit and panic over everything that could happen. It was hard to believe that earlier that morning, she had been chasing Adrien around the city in his car. So much had happened already in the previous twenty four hours. She wasn't sure she could hold up for another ten on her own, so she took out her phone and text the only person she could think of, Nino.

 **Alya: How quick do u think u could get over here?**

 **Nino: Depends on how fast I can get away with speeding :)**

Ten minutes later Alya heard a knock at the apartment door. Alya walked over to the door to see the DJ's smiling face. "Apparently I can drive pretty fast," he greeted her.

Alya wrapped her arms around him. Her body quivering as she used his body to hold herself up. "Thank you for coming so quick."

Nino embraced the brunette and held her close. "Are you ok?"

"There is so much happening Nino. It's too much. I can't wrap my head around it." Alya pressed her face into Nino's chest.

Nino looked at the top of her head as her felt her face press into his shirt. "What happened, Alya?"

The girl glanced up at the DJ. His glasses were slightly sliding off from looking down at her directly. "Come inside. I will have have to explain everything from almost the beginning." She unhinged herself from Nino and closed the door. She guided him to the couch; both settling down for a long conversation.

Alya began from party. She explained how she had met Adrien at the party, and he had let his identity slip. She explained how they had snuck out so he could release his feeling. She explained Plagg, kwamis, and how Plagg was very worried about Adrien. That Adrien had not been handling the loss of his father and Ladybug well. Ladybug was the only one left that may keep him positive.

She then continued on to the night before last when Marinette ran off. Alya described Marinette's collection of Chat Noir crafts, her identity as Ladybug, and Tikki. She then retold the trial from Marinette's perspective. How Marinette couldn't handle the pressure of being Ladybug, so she had been hiding, with Tikki being very concerned.

Finally Alya explained the entire debacle at the studio. How Adrien and Nathaniel had started to fight while she had tried to get the Kwamis together to make a plan. Adrien running off as Chat Noir, meeting up with Marinette, and pestering Nathaniel had all occurred such a short time ago. Let alone the text conversation Alya had had with Marinette.

The reporter handed Nino her phone. She couldn't think of a better way to tell him what was about to occur then to just let him read the entire story.

The DJ took a moment to read the text messages. Alya watched him scroll back and forth between the top and bottom messages. "So, this is happening tonight?"

"Yes," Alya nodded. "It's happening and I don't know what is going to happen. This will either end well or end poorly. I'm worried Nino. We could lose two friends tonight. They put so much trust in me. I can only compare the stress that I am feeling to what they have had to put up with for all these years!"

Alya began to feel tears well up in her eyes. "Everything is going to change, Nino. It's either going to be great or disastrous. And now I telling you everything, which is probably the one thing I know I'm not supposed to do, but I can't hold all this in."

"We have strong friends," Nino finally spoke. "You're strong too, Alya. This is a lot of information. Think about it, you know more than both of them. You probably could have handled just knowing Adrien was Chat Noir, right?"

"Yeah. It just made sense."

"But you became overwhelmed when you found out Marinette was Ladybug."

"Yeah, I'd say that's true."

"You are the only one who right now has any idea how overwhelming this will be for both of our friends."

"What about you? I just told you. Aren't you overwhelmed?"

"I'm sure I will be. I mean, you just basically told me our best friends have been crime fighting partners that have saved Paris hundreds of times! That's way cool, Dude! It also explains so much, Like why neither one of them were ever akumatized.

"You have also been emotionally invested in this way more than I have been. I mean I'm just here to help you, Babe. I am your rock."

Alya smiled lightly punched the DJ in the chest. "You are my rock. That's why I called you."

Nino lifted his hand to the brunette's hair and began to fiddle with the ends. This took you a few days to let this sink in, and when I finally have absorbed all of what you said, I will call you. "You however, get to go through this emotional storm with both of them. I can't be there for that, nor should you tell them I know. They are totally going to freak out."

"They are going to lose it, and I don't know in which way. I can see Marinette being really sad. I can see Adrien hating himself for how close they have been. I can also see Adrien lashing out at Marinette for abandoning him. He just had Plagg to go through that entire ordeal. I don't think he has processed it either."

Nino placed an arm on his Alya's shoulder. "You can't predict what's going to happen. You're just going to have to be there. And if it ends up ugly, call me and we can each go after the other one."

Aly leaned into Nino's chest. "That's the kind of plan I needed to hear. I have no clue what will happen, but if I have you as my backup, then we can't lose both of them." She relaxed resting against Nino. Something about him kept her comforted. This is what she needed before she would have to be the strong one, but what was she going to say? What was she even going to do when the two arrive?

"No I just have one problem," she mumbled. "What do I do when I have both of them in the room?"

Nino adjusted his hat. "I don't know, man. Marinette was the one who wanted to see Chat Noir. Maybe she will have stuff to say."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then you can start a conversation. i don't know talk about English food?"

"English food?" Alya sat up with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, I mean… I don't know. Hell, I really don't think the conversation topic matters." He stood up. "You have handled everything else really well, I think the problem here is you have too much time. Plus we have another problem on our hands."

"What's that?"

"We had a date planned, that resulted in a lot of not date things happening with our friend. So I am saying we go have a lunch date now, and I keep you entertained until like eight tonight. Then you come back here and get ready." Nino reached out his hand to help Alya out of the couch.

"That sounds like quite a long date," Alya said grabbing onto the offered hand. She slowly rose to her feet.

"You know I'm right," Nino wrapped his arms around the reporter's waist. "I'll make it worth it, but on one condition."

"What's that?" A soft pick flooded Alya's cheeks.

"There will be no talk of Adrien or Marinete; what is going on here tonight; or anything related to heroes. Got it?"

"A smirk crossed the rporters face. "But then what will we talk about?"

"Hopefully something," he began guiding her out the door. "I could just sing the whole time?"

"Oh no! I'm not listening to that for eight hours." She folded her arms in protest. She chuckled to herself as Nino began to hum. For a musician, he had no sense he seemed to be somewhat tone deaf to himself. Alya grabbed her jacket and headed out the door.

_oOo_

Alya should have known Nino would not have gotten her back with time to get ready. She ran down the hallway towards the apartment. It was ten fifty. Marinette would be arriving in ten minutes. She scrambled to get her keys out and into the door. After what felt like minutes, she turned the key and opened the door.

Alya knew she had to shower. After having lunch at a near shop, Nino had convinced Alya that the zoo was the best place for the two to spend the afternoon. They had reminisced about the day they were locked in a cage, which somehow resulted in the two of them sneaking back into that animal cage. The cage had been the start of their relationship, and their relationship appears to have rekindled. Alya had felt relieved since she and Nino left for their date. Unfortunately, another date was on her radar, and Alya was in charge of making sure it went smoothly.

After a record breaking short shower, Alya was dressed and in the living room just five minutes past ten. She checked her phone. Marinette should have been here by now. The anxious girl quickly typed out a text to her friend.

 **Alya: Where r u?**

She waited two minutes there was no response. A creeping panic emerged from the back of Alya's mind. "She better not have gotten cold feet," she mumbled under her breath. Suddenly her phone buzzed.

 **Marinette: I'm coming. I'm running as fast as I can**

 **Alya: Are you actually running here**

 **Marinette: Yes, but i can't text in run i will be there in like 10**

Alya should have expected Marinette to run late. Which means she may need to bet on Adrien being early. That didn't help a lot for those two seeing each other, but seeing how the night was going right now, this was going to be a mess. Alya did the only thing she knew she could do at that moment. She went to the bathroom, grabbed three boxes of tissues, and placed them on the table. This was the only prep she could accomplish.

At 10:25 Alya saw a black figure surface on one of the windows. Chat Noir pushed the window open and crawled in. "Hello, Alya. Where is Ladybug?"

"Didn't I tell you not to be early?" Alya hissed.

"I was just so anxious. Where is my Lady?"

"She isn't here yet, and you need to hide." Alya looked around. "Go to your room. I will come get you when she arrives."

The blonde tilted his head in puzzlement. "Why do I need to hide?"

"Because she is arriving in her civilian form. She will transform when she gets here. Now go."

"oh, o-okay," the black cat walked into his room rubbing his neck."

Alya felt a buzz in her pocket. She pulled out her phone.

 **Marinette: I made it to the lobby. What floor are you?**

Alya sent Marinette the floor and room number. She walked over to the apartment door and waited. Alya's mind was racing. She had to remain calm though. Who knows how these two would react. She was jolted at the sound of a knock at the door.

Alya opened the door to see her blue haired friend. The pig tailed girl was hugging herself. Her eyes were averted to the floor. "I-I'm sorry I'm late."

The brunette hugged her friend before welcoming her into the apartment. "I'm just glad you're here. Chat Noir is here but in another room. I think it would be best if we all is on the couch. So if you and Tikki want to do your thing, go ahead.

Marinette nodded as Tikki popped her head out of Marinette's purse. "Tikki, spots on." Alya watched in amazement as a red light filled the room. Alay blocked the blinding light from her eyes with her arms. A few seconds later, Alya felt the light de away. She removed her arms to see Ladybug standing before her.

Alya grinned. "Are you ready?"

"I have no idea," Marinette said. "I almost feel selfish asking Chat to come here."

"Why? I know he can' wait to see you."

"It's just been so long. And he has no idea how much he has already helped me today. I...I want his comfort again." Ladybug hung her head.

Alya smiled sweetly. "He wants to see you, don't worry. Now take a seat on the couch and I will go get him."

Alya walked towards Adrien's room as ladybug adjusted herself to sit comfortably on the black leather couch. She slowly turned the doorknob and walked into the second room. The room was almost a mirrored replica of Ayla's room except for one detail; the entire room was colored in only shades of black and grey.

The reporter walked in and closed the door. "Chat Noir, are you ready? Ladybug is here."

"Alya, I don't know if I can do this." Chat Noir paced his grey room. Hi words were short and breathy; as if he had just ran a marathon. "It's been so long since I've seen her. What do I say?"

"Start with hello," Alya suggested.

He continued pacing. "I don't know if I am as ready. I was fine until I heard you open the door. Now it's so real. She's finally out there. What if she is mad? Alya, is she mad at me? What if I can't think of something to say?"

Alya crossed her arms against her chest. "Chat Noir you are acting childish. Ladybug Is out in the living room feeling awkward and uncomfortable because you are in here hiding like a scared cat. She is nervous too. That's why I am here. I will mediate."

"Right, you're here to mediate." He nodded his head. "I didn't think I'd be this nervous."

Alya grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door. "Well everyone here is nervous, so I think that is normal. So why don't you go sit on the couch and we will all have a nice reunion."

She opened the door of the room. The sound of the door opening made Ladybug jump to her feet. Alya turned to Chat Noir. His jaw fell at the sight of the black and red hero. Her bluebell eyes glistened with the hint of anxiety. "My lady, it's you."

The spotted hero nodded her head. One hand rested by her side while the other tentatively rose to wave. "Hello Chaton."

Alya watched as Chat Noir slowly crept towards Ladybug. He's movements were methodical, as if he were an actual stray cat creeping towards a stranger. When he was only a step away from her, he reached out his hand and grabbed her hanging one before kneeling and kissing her knuckles. This was the first act of normality Alya had seen since she returned to Paris. The moment was sweet, and reminiscent of every time she had seen the heroes meet in the past. The moment quickly passed as Alya noticed Chat's body quivering.

The quivering quickly evolved into convolutions as he removed his lips from Ladybug's hand and replaced his forehead on them. "I- never- thought- I would- see you-again." His breath was weak and jittery, but Ladybug heard what he had said.

"Chat," the spotted hero looked to Alya with a look of bewilderment. Alya nodded; affirming the red bugs need to respond. Alya was hoping her friend would understand that Chat Noir needed her. Looking at the black cat shaking on the ground, it was almost impossible to deny the needed comfort Adrien needed from her.

"You are so important to me," Chat Noir's green eyes were blinking out tears. "I don't know how I survived so long without you."

However, Marinette didn't act as Aly had hoped. She pulled her hand away and took a step back. "You shouldn't make me so important to you. All I've done is hurt people."

"My Lady, that's not true."

"It is! Just look at all the people who have been hurt by our actions."

"That's not our fault. We were protecting everyone from Hawkmoth! If anything he is the one to be mad at."

"Then why do so many people hate us? Why would our actions to protect everyone we love drive them all a part?"

"That can't be true." Chat Noir stood up. He towered over the spotted hero but kept his distance.

"It is! And now I know so many people I wanted to protect had their lives ruined. I should have done more. And the two people I cared about the most have been the most hurt by my selfish actions; you and Adrien"

"Ladybug, I don't understand why you are being so distant. What selfish actions are you talking about?"

"Chat, I hurt you. I hurt as Ladybug, and I hurt you as my civilian self."

"If you though you hurt me the worst then why would you want to meet. Why are you toying with my emotions?"

"To apologize, and say goodbye. I never said goodbye to you. I never once tried to stand up for you because I was afraid. I was afraid of all the bad that was about to happen and that was happening. I always thought finding Hawkmoth would have made everything better, but it just made me feel responsible for everything. And here I am coming to you, to get your forgiveness. It's selfish to want to have you except my apology, but your the only one I can apologize too."

"What about Adrien?" Alya interjected. "If you are going to face Chat Noir, why not apologize to Adrien too?"

"I could never face Adrien. For everything that has happened to him, he deserves more than an apology, and that's something i can never give him."

"You can't truly believe Adrien hates you, Bugaboo?"

"Adrien and I went to school together. We were friends, and I know he had only done whatever he could to help his dad. But then I expose his father to the word. I ripped the moth miraculous right off his chest, and everyone saw who he was. Adrien lost the rest of his family that day. And instead of being angry about it, he has done nothing but take over his father's company and carry on. He dealt with press who refused to give him space to deal with his father's absence. He is too good of a person to have something like that happened.

"My lady, sometimes bad things happen to good people," Chat Noir took a step forward.

"He should hate me, like all the others. I don't deserve his affection. "Chat Noir grabbed onto Ladybug's wrist. "Chat let go."

"No, and I'm not accepting your apology. I could never hate you. Plagg, Claws in!" The green light flashed from Chat Noir. Alya moved towards to the other side of the room. The light faded and Alya saw Adrien keeping his grip on Ladybug. Ladybug had her arm turned away from Adrien with her other arm covering her eyes.

Plagg flew over to Alya. "The cat's out of the bag now," he mumbled flying into Alya's hair.

"Chat let go! I… I can't see your civilian form."

"Ladybug, please look at me," Adrien pleaded.

"No!"

Alya had been patient, but Marinette's stubborn attitude drove it right to the edge. "Ladybug look at him!" she yelled.

"Alya, I can't. I can't do it."

"Yes you can and you will! I will not watch you both wither away without knowing each other. You turn and look at him right now, or I will tell him who you are," the reporter threatened.

"Alya you can't," the spotted hero begged.

"I can and I will. You two need each other. You need each other so bad it hurts. It hurts you two, me, Plagg, and Tikki. You both need each other, and you know it. He has finally said it, no you need to say it to. Turn to him. There is no more threat for you to hide yourselves from each other. It is time embrace each other. I have seen and documented you both doing scarier things together. Just turn around and look at him Ladybug!"

Ladybug gulped and removed her arm from eyes. She slowly turned her head towards Adrien and opened her eyes. "A-Adrien!" Tears filled her eyes and her hand covered her mouth.

Adrien had been bawling silently for a few minutes. "That's me, Bugaboo," he uttered between sobs. "I'm Adrien."

"Oh my god!" A bright red light filled the room. After flash, Marinette stood where the spotted hero had been. The red Kwami spun out of the earrings and joined plagg and Alya to the side.

Adrien's sobs paused from his astonishment. "Marinette!" He pulled her arm and she collapsed on top of him. Both of them gripped each other tightly.

"I can't believe it's been you this whole time!" Marinette nuzzled her forehead against Adrien's. "I'm so sorry I left you all alone. How can you not be mad?"

"You did nothing wrong. You didn't know who I was, but I knew you were thinking of me. Your last words to me were about me." Adrien wiped tears from Marinette's cheeks. "I just wish I could have told you who I was sooner."

"I should have been a better partner to you, then. You were crying, then. I remember. Yet, you just kissed my forehead and held me close. I...I just pushed you away. Adrien I'm so sorry!" Marinette ran her fingers against his cheeks.

"You're here now," Adrien said through sobs. "Just promise you won't leave this time. I couldn't hand you leaving again."

"I won't leave. I'm staying right here." She kissed the blond on the lips. He leaned into the kiss, tears streaming down both of their aces as they connected.

The moment was tender and sweet. Alya smiled and the two Kwami's cuddled together. Alya turned to the two small creatures. "We should give them some space." Alya silently walked out of the living area and into her room. Plagg and Tikki followed. They closed the door and remained in the room for a few hours; listening to the mumbles of Adrien and Marinette reconnecting.

_oOo_

At two in the morning Alya woke up. She did not remember falling asleep. The last thing she remembered was showing Tikki and Plagg some food she had put aside incase the kitchen was not an option. She smiled, remembering that Adrien and Marinette were finally together, both aware of who each other was. Were they both still in the living room?

Alya stood up and quietly walked to the door. She didn't want to wake Tikki and Plagg, who were sleeping at the end of her bed. The brunette cracked the door, and peered out. The light coming from the large window showed both Adrien and Marinette curled up together on the floor. Alya couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that there was an open door leading to another bedroom, but the two emotional love birds couldn't muster up the strength to crawl over to the bed.

The older sister with n here prevented her from leaving them in the floor. She walked over to the two and gently shook them. "Hey," she whispered. "Go sleep on the bed. Don't stay here on the floor."

As expected, Marinette didn't move. That girl could sleep through a hurricane. Adrien however stirred and sat up. "Alya, what?" He looked down and saw Marinette curled beside him and smiled.

"You guys fell asleep on the floor," Alya explained. "I didn't want to leave here when there is a perfectly good bed for both of you."

Adrien rubbed his eyes with his hand, still groggy. "Thank you Alya." He yawned, then stared at Marinette. He brushed some of the hair out of her face. "You know, you are a really good friend. Than you."

"I was happy to do it. FYI, she sleeps like a rock," she pointed towards Marinette. "You may just want to pick her up to take her with you."

Adrien grinned. "Will do." He looked around. "Where's Plagg?"

Alya pointed towards her room. "We all went to my room to give you two some privacy."

"You really are the best," Adrien said, positioning his body to scoop up the blue haired girl. He stood up, gently caressing her in his arms. "We wouldn't be together if it were not for you. Thank you again. See you in the morning," He whispered, walking into the grey bedroom.

"See you in the morning," Alya uttered back. She watched teh door close before heading back to bed herself.

_oOo_

Two weeks had passed since Ladybug and Chat Noir reunited. They had not separated for more than an hour. The day after Adrien and Marinette discovered each other's identities, the two went down to studio to inform Nathaniel Marinette was moving out and leaving the studio. Alya didn't go, but Marinette informed her that after an aggressive conversation, Adrien wrote a check, and Nathaniel stayed out of the way as Adrien called his assistants began to move all of Marinette's things from the studio and apartment to Adrien's place. They had just finished bringing every item over, and Alya knew she would be recruited to help Marinette set up all her items.

Most people would say the two were moving too fast, but Alya was thrilled to see how happy her two friends had become. They had been separated for too long. The duo had a relationship not many could understand. What they did was perfect for them. This is why Alya agreed to help them. She had been there as they fought. She had seen their team work, trust, and admiration. She had also seen them at their worst. They trusted her, almost as much as they trusted each other, and that is why Alya believed they had asked her to deliver the Hawkmoth Miraculous to the Guardian. She wasn't going alone. Tikki came with her as a guide, taking her down a long and deluded route.

Finally they arrived at a small building near their old high school. All the letters outside the building were written in Chinese except for a sign on the front door that read _welcome, please come in._

Alya opened the door and a small bell chimed. An old, balding man with a grey goatee peered from around the corner. He wore a red Hawaiian shirt, and used a cane as he walked towards the door.

"Welcome," the old man said. "I am Master Fu. How may I help you?"

"Hello, Master Fu. My name is Alya. I was sent here to bring you something."

"Me? What could you possibly have for me?" The old man questioned.

Alya reached into her bag and pulled out the moth miraculous. "I was told that you were someone who could guard this."

Tikki flew out of Alya's hair. "Ladybug and Chat Noir trust Alya completely, Great Guardian."

Master fu walked forward and picked up the moth miraculous from Alya's hand. He examined the jewelry. "Of course they would trust the reporter who runs the Ladyblog."

"You recognize me then?" Alya asked surprised.

"Of course!" The old man said ushering the girl and Kwami to the back of his room. They watched him punch in a code into a music box and watch the lid pop open. He placed the moth miraculous in the box and closed it tight. "Nooroo will need a long rest, and lots of healing."

"Nooroo?" Alya asked.

"Nooroo is the Kwami for the moth miraculous," Tikki answered.

"That he is. I can't wait to meet Nooroo and introduce myself as the new guardian to him."

Alya raised an eyebrow at the old man's comment. "Meet? But I thought you guarded all the miraculous and Kwamis?"

He chuckled. "Yes. I am the current Guardian. I have been the Guardian for the past one hundred and fifty years. I was given every miraculous to watch over, except one. That was the Moth miraculous. Around five hundred years ago, a corrupt man stole the moth miraculous and began to use it to get people to steal and do evil deeds for him. Every generation of Ladybug and Chat Noir had battled to defeat Hawkmoth and his gang of supervillains. None had been able to defeat them, until our current duo. We finally have peace amongst our miraculous world."

"If there is peace, then does that mean Ladybug and Chat Noir no longer need to fight?"

The master nodded. "That would be our current world at the moment. The need for a miraculous holder is none."

Alya's eyes became worried. She reached out her hand to grab Tikki. "Does that mean that Tikki and Plagg need to leave their holders?"

"That depends on the holders," Master Fu answered. "Yes there is no need for Ladybug and Chat Noir at the moment, but that doesn't mean there won't be a need in the near future." He smiled at Alya and walked close to her. He raised one hand and placed it on her shoulder. "You have no need to worry about your friends at the moment. Yes they have both experienced some traumatic events in such a short period of life, but they were chosen for a reason. We know they are strong, especially when they are together. You can feel that right?"

She nodded, and released Tikki. "I do feel it. In a way that is part of the reason why I decided to come back and help Chat noir find Ladybug. The need each other. No matter who else is around they are the perfect support for each other."

"As long as they are together, they will be fine. Thank you for bringing them back together. And thank you for bringing me Nooroo. Chat Noir has had to face a lot this time around. This certainly could not have been easy, giving up the one thing that took precedence over himself in his father's eyes. Marinette will keep him happy, and you will keep them both safe. Now go on back to help them, and let them know everything was delivered."

"Thank you Master Fu," Alya said. She turned and left the building. "Ok Tikki, I hope you remember how to get us back."

The red Kwami squeaked. "Don't worry, when in doubt I can always look for Plagg."

"Or smell him," Alya added. Both laughed and began walking down the street.

Alya was happy. Her friends were happy, and the world was starting to feel right again. Of course many things had changed over the years, but the things that had remained the same, were the most precious. With all the experience she had been lucky enough to find love for herself, and her friends. She had been lucky enough to build a career of investigative reporting, that helped others, and she could now begin a happy life in Paris with all of her friends. This was the way Ladybug and Chat noir was supposed to end. They would quietly disappear when they were no longer needed, and only emerge if they were ever called upon again.


End file.
